Ghosts of The Machine
by FoxHunt5
Summary: "If I am a machine then so are you. If you are not a machine then neither am I. Exo minds are human. It is incontrovertible." But what makes a human a human? What makes an Exo an Exo? What secrets lurk within their mechanical minds? One Hunter's path of self-discovery. Rated T for sexual themes and sailor's mouth. Implied Caydeshipping. Reader challenge details in chapter 7.
1. Close Your Eyes

**Hello again, everyone. FoxHunt5 here with a brand-new story inspired by the one and only Cybertramon001's story Guardians and Hunters. If you like RWBY, I suggest you go check it out. So without further ado, here's Ghosts of The Machine, Chapter 1!**

* * *

 **Chapter One:** But If You Close Your Eyes

"Raith-7? Yeah, I know him. I'm one of the few that know him as daboyzriek. (A.N. that's my PSN tag if you were wondering.) He's a good Hunter, don't get me wrong, but… how can I put it?

"Well, the first thing you should know about him is that he's single-minded, even for an Exo. Put a mission in front of him, and he'll spend all day working on it. But damn me if he ain't the most stubborn Hunter I've ever trained. I mean, 'Charging into the Vault of Glass alone' level stubborn. Revived twenty-seven times before he gave up.

"But above all, Raith-7 is weak, no matter what he says. Not weak as in easy to kill. He just can't stand being unable to understand things, so he buries himself in whatever he can to keep it off his mind. You know the memory flashes old Guardians sometimes get? Well, his were bad. So he dedicated himself to his work, collecting armor, getting bounties, and so on. He'll do anything the keep himself busy. Otherwise…"

* * *

"Raith! What the hell was that for?!" Cayde-6 jumped as the Hunter slammed his fist on the Vanguards' table, breaking it in half. Raith's red eyes widened.

"Holy shit! Sorry, I didn't mean to do that!"

"No, really? Well, thanks for tellin' me that."

Ikora pinched the bridge of her nose between her finger and thumb. "Come on, Commander. Let's get a new table while Cayde talks with his Hunter." The pair of them walked off, Zavala giving Cayde a pointed look.

Cayde sighed. "Look. Hunter, unless you've got a really bad virus, you probably had a reason for breakin' my best piece of furniture."

Raith groaned. "It's over." He looked his mentor in the eyes. "I've done every last mission assigned to me. There's nothing left."

Cayde suddenly looked hopeful. "How about being the Hunter Van-"

Raith held up his hand, chuckling. "Sorry, Cayde. I can't."

The vanguard shook his head. "Had ta try. Anyway, there's always Atheon."

"Dead and disintegrated."

"Skolas?"

"Weeks ago."

"Heart of-"

"Twice." Raith stepped forward. "I have killed gods, stopped the Darkness countless times, and acquired the best equipment available." He took another step, now inches from Cayde's face. "So you tell me, Cayde. What purpose do I have now?"

Cayde stared at the Exo's grey robotic skull. "Serve the light."

Raith laughed. "The Light. You mean that dead god?"

Cayde stared at him, shocked. This wasn't like him, not at all. He turned to his Ghost. "Hey, I gotta take care of this. Watch my spot, alright?" The Ghost bobbed, it's version of a nod. Cayde pulled Raith aside. "Black Garden Legend?" He asked, referring to the Grimoire card. Raith nodded. "Look here, Guardian. That was nothing more than a nonsensical vision. And even if it weren't, it doesn't change a thing. The only reason you're alive is because the Traveler wanted you to live. You owe your life to Him."

Raith was silent for a moment. "My life…" He looked at his robotic hand. "How can a machine give a life?"

Cayde struggled to stay calm as he laid a hand on the Hunter's shoulder. "You are as much alive as anyone else, Raith. You can feel, think, and care just as well as any human or Awoken I've ever seen."

Before he could respond, Raith was hit by a stabbing pain in his head. He clutched his skull. "Noooooo... "He moaned, trying to push away the pain. As his knees buckled, Raith saw Cayde rush forward to catch him. He lost consciousness before he hit the ground.

* * *

The alarm clock blares, interrupting my peaceful slumber. Nothing a quick smack couldn't fix, of course, but that hardly improved the experience. I groan, gently rolling out of bed in a futile attempt to keep from waking April up. This goes just as well as all the other attempts.

"Mmm… I'm sure it's earlier this time." She moans.

I chuckle, stepping into the bathroom. My brown hair somehow was able to stay in the shape it was yesterday, despite my tossing and turning. A kind of wall in the front, with some sort of ramp leading up to it. I leave it as is.

"No, I'm pretty sure it's set to the same time as before, Connie." I chuckle as I start getting dressed.

She gets up, joining me tiredly. "I've told you not to call me by my first name, Ryan." I shrug, buttoning up my shirt. "Anyway, I'm sure you could take a day off. It's not like that… Wanderer of yours is going anywhere."

I tighten my tie, checking to make sure it's not crooked. "Sorry honey, but the boss assigned as many people as he can to work on the Traveler. He says that if we figure it out, it could be the key to a golden age for humanity."

April sighs, resting her head on my shoulder. "Ryan, you're not a cop anymore. Researchers probably don't have to work nearly as hard."

I turn, kissing her forehead. "Don't worry so much, April. The boss said that when we figure this thing out, we'll all get a few weeks off. We could finally cash in those tickets to that new Cosmodrome thing you've been talking about. Alright?"

"Alright," she sighs. "Just be safe." I nod, stepping out the door.

* * *

Raith-7 jumped, smacking his head on a metal bar.

"Hey, there he is. Looks like Ikora owes me twenty Glimmer." A sarcastic voice came from Raith's left. He turned to see Cayde-6 smirking. "How ya feeling, kid?"

Raith put his hands on his forehead, feeling a new dent on the Relic Iron plate above his eyes. He looked around, noticing he was in a hospital bed. "How- What happened?"

Cayde leaned back in his chair. "Well, first ya started moaning and grabbing your head. Then ya hit the floor pretty hard. Kept mumblin' about 'April' and the like. After Zavala and I got you here, Lakshmi gave you a check-up. Turns out you got a couple dozen bugs in ya. So she and I put our heads together, and came up with some new security software." He held up a flash drive. "It did the trick. You should be good to go once ya charge up a bit."

Raith laid back, taking this in. Eventually, he spoke up. "How… How long have I been out?"

"Four days. Happy Armsday, by the way." Cayde suddenly turned serious. "So, what did you see?"

"My… past. I used to be… I used to be a human, named Ryan."

Cayde nodded knowingly. "And April? Was she…"

"She was… someone very close to me. To Ryan." Raith closed his eyes, visualizing her red hair, her vibrant green eyes-

"I should tell you now, these memory flashes are only gonna get worse, Hunter. Pretty much every Guardian has to deal with them sooner or later. Some turn to drugs, alcohol and the like. Others find solace in sleeping around, like the infamous 'Tower Sparrow'. Side note, Exos can do all of those. Get drunk, get laid, the whole set." He smiled slightly. "Other Guardians bury themselves in their work, like you did." He once again turned serious. "And some… weren't able to handle it." He made eye contact with his friend. "But I think there's another way out for you." Cayde slowly smiled. "See, there are so many Guardians these days, we can't handle them all. The Vanguards have been trying to create a program where we send veteran Guardians on missions with Guardians that need help in various situations. For instance, some Guardians don't have the connections to get an entire fireteam for Raids. Or maybe they're inexperienced in a certain class of weapon. So, for those Guardians, we need what is basically a Guardian for hire. Now, call me crazy, but I think training other Guardians will do ya a world of good. You interested? In return, you'll have full access to high-level info, as well as a generous salary and full Vanguard clearance."

Raith laid silent for a few minutes, considering everything the offer entailed. "Would I have access to pre-Collapse records?" Cayde nodded, a smile forming on his robotic lips. It certainly sounded interesting, and having unrestricted access to the Vanguard's records could help him find out who he was.

Raith sighed. "Fine. You've got yourself a Hunter for hire."

Cayde's grin widened. "Glad to hear it. Your first assignment is gonna be with a Warlock." He chuckled at Raith's expression. "Let's just say I had a feeling and leave it at that, alright Hunter?" He strolled out of the room. "Your mission is to help her kill Valus Ta'aurc. I'll send the details to your Ghost."

 **So I may have "borrowed" an idea from another author. Namely, OrganOfFlame's naming chapters after song lyrics. I suggest you check him out, his work is impressive. But, uh, be prepared for some _very_ NSFW RWBY.  
** **Anyways, here's the song I used**

 **Song: Pompeii**

 **Artist: Bastille**

 **Album: Bad Blood**

* * *

 **And there you have it; the first chapter of my new Destiny fanfic. Again, this was inspired by Cybertramon001. Next chapter, whenever it comes out, will feature one of their characters. Until then, this is FoxHunt5, signing out!**


	2. I Know Every Single Face

**Hello again, readers. FoxHunt5 here with the second chapter of my Destiny Fanfiction. As I said last time, this story was inspired by Cybertramon001's story Guardians and Hunters. But _this_ time, I'm putting in one of his characters as well. So remember, Katie-8 and Dinklebot belong to Cybertramon001, and not me.  
Disclaimer: Destiny belongs to Bungie. If it were otherwise, I would allow matchmaking for Raids, Nightfalls, and pretty much every single thing that actually NEEDS matchmaking!**

* * *

 **Chapter Two:** I Know Every Single Face 'Round Here

"Oi, Guardian."

Raith looked up at his Ghost, Shayde. Or in this case, Shayde-Reggie. "Yeah?"

"If you don't mind my asking, why were you so quick to accept Cayde's offer?"

The Hunter slowly got up, deactivating his solar panel. "Well, the Vanguard have access to practically every secure file known to the Light, save what the Reef refuses to give us." The pale Ghost bobbed up and down, simulating a nod. "Including pre-Collapse bibliographies."

Shayde paused. "...You mean biographies, right?" he eventually quipped.

"Yeah, those. Anyway, I'm thinking, if I had access to those, I could at last find out who I was."

Shayde stared at him blankly. "You think that'll stop the memories, mate?"

Raith nodded, stretching his Golden Age arms. "That's what I hope." He shook his head, leaning on a nearby pillar. "But for now, the mission comes first. The mission always comes first."

Shayde shimmered, his shell turning from a clean, pure white to a deep, passionate red.

"That's exactly right, soldier! Today, we shall taste victory!"

Raith 'closed' his eyes, deciding to humor his Ghost. "Oh? And what does victory taste like, Sarge? Something meaty, perhaps?"

"Why of course not! Victory of course tastes like beer, the greatest drink known to mankind!" Shayde declared like a drill Sergeant.

"Now that is a neat little trick. Why can't you do that, Dinklebot?"

"Sorry Katie, but from what I can tell, that Ghost is one of a kind."

"So I won't be able to have one?"

Raith turned to see a Warlock talking to her Ghost. "You must be Katie-5."

The Warlock held out her hand. "Most people call me Katie."

"Raith-7, Guardian Hunter of the first class," he recited… robotically… as he shook it.

After exchanging formalities (he was a Gunslinger, she was a Sunsinger), Raith gave her the details on their mission.

"We'll be going after Valus Ta'aurc. He's going to be guarded by countless grunts, legions of Psions…" He paused, listening to Shayde for a moment. "...And a heavy land tank. Perfect." Raith turned to his new partner. "You ready for this?"

Katie nodded, cocking her Pulse Rifle. "I was made ready, old man."

* * *

As they exited the caves, Shayde appeared by Raith's helmet, now in a purple shell. "Hey, Raith, I couldn't help but notice an increase in parts of your mind that, for Exos, stimulate-"

"Frank! Now is not the time!" Raith yelled as he took out a Phalanx with a Cluster Grenade.

"-stimulate feelings of desire and bliss."

Raith rolled away as the land tank fired a few yards away from him. He switched to his rocket launcher, loading it up. "Frank, what the hell are you saying," he dodged another shot from the tank, "and why the hell is it important now?" He jumped over some cover to a group of Centurions, readying his launcher. He took aim…

"You've got the hots for Katie, mate."

...And missed by a mile.

He shook his head, clearing it up. He fired his other rocket, hitting the Centurions right where they were thickest. He held out his hand, Shayde appearing in a pure white shell.

"Reggie, that's ridiculous. I'm an Exo."

"So's Cayde, mate, and he once admitted to having a girl." Raith could feel the British Ghost smirking.

Raith snarled, switching out his rocket launcher for his trusty shotgun. "Reggie, we will discuss this later."

"Raith!" He turned to see Katie aiming down her sights at the tank. "I'm low on ammo!" She called, smacking a Psion with the butt of her gun.

Instinct taking over, Raith charged forward, forming a primary ammo pack from what he had. "Catch," he called, flinging it towards her. Just as it left his hand, a stray Legionary's shot caught him off guard, slamming him into a wall. The veteran Hunter groaned, clutching his head as he slowly got up. "Damn Cabal…" he muttered, slamming his fist against the "wall".

The Phalanx, however, slammed him harder.

* * *

"Hey, uh, Katie?" Dinklebot quipped at his Warlock, "You might want to duck." Not questioning his advice, Katie rolled behind cover as a grey blur passed overhead, smashing into the wall behind her.

"What the-" Katie looked over her cover to see the Cabal all heading towards the tank. She turned back to the grey heap. "Dinklebot, what is going-"

"Hey, uh Katie, right?" The Exo turned to see a deep purple Ghost, looking worried. "You should probably take a couple steps back." It said, sounding as worried as it looked.

Slowly, the grey pile began glowing a faint orange, shifting to reveal Raith -7. He slowly rose to his feet, wrenching off his hood and helmet. Underneath them were a pair of blazing crimson eyes, filled with more fiery passion than an inferno. His gaze spun to see the Cabal, all gathered around their tank.

"A long time ago, Raith was exposed to a massive amount of unfiltered Light," Shayde whispered as Raith's glow brightened. "So now, whenever he gets really pissed off, Raith tends to get just a tad…" Raith's hand began glowing as the Golden Gun formed itself.

"...Explosive." Shayde finished.

With total calmness, the lone Gunslinger pointed his weapon at the Cabal and, with the finality of slamming a coffin closed, pulled the trigger.

And the world was bathed in flames.

* * *

As I step into the office, I can feel a buzz in the air, as if the building itself is excited. I clock in, stepping into the Traveler room. Everyone is rushing around within, most of them gathered under the Traveler.

"Ryan!" I turn to see my partner, Hiro Takanome, rush towards me.

"Hiro! What's going on?"

"The Traveler! It's working!"

My eyes widen in disbelief. "What? How?"

He grabs my arm, pulling me forward through the crowd. "One of the eggheads put an old bot under it overnight, and it turned into…" We stop in front of… well, a robot. It turns to face me.

"Hello," it greets in a scratchy, oddly feminine voice, "I am Kadi 55-01. How may I help you today?"

I feel my jaw drop. "Is it… is it sentient?"

Hiro shakes his head. "Kadi is nothing more than a resemblance of Artificial Intelligence, a… Frame of it." He pulls me to another section of the room. "But that's not all." He pulls up to a public terminal, signing in. "Take a look."

I look at the terminal screen, dropping my jaw for the second time for the second time in as many minutes. Displayed on the screen were innumerable blueprints, of space-faring vehicles, of strange sci-fi hovercrafts, of- "Is that a gun?"

Hiro nods, his grin widening. "We had some guys run the numbers. They said all of these are possible, here and now." He puts his hand on my shoulder. "Imagine it, Ryan. Science, medicine, hell, even interstellar travel, are all open to us now!"

I let out a chuckle. "We've finally done it. We can do anything now." A tear of joy falls from my eye.

Hiro lays a hand on my other shoulder. "Soon enough Ryan, we'll get the Golden Age we've been working so hard to achieve."

As the day goes on, I find myself working on the Traveler, along with Hiro and some some of the newbies. It's strange, being near it. I always feel… stronger near it. Like-

The bell rang, marking the start of our lunch break. I turn to Kaden Suros, one of my newer assistants.

"So Kaden, how's your girl?"

"Pretty good. We've almost got enough for the sporting goods shop." He shrugs. "Me, I'm excited to do some more old-fashioned weapons. Knives, swords, and of course bows." He says, drawing a mimed bow.

Suddenly, a glowing purple bow and arrow from in his hands, aimed right at Hiro. Instinct and leftover Traveler energy taking over, I throw myself into the line of fire.

"Ryan!" Kaden yells as the arrow slips from his fingers…

...And straight into my heart.

* * *

Raith-7 and Katie-5 sat in silence, staring at each other occasionally. Finally, Katie spoke up.

"You, uh… you do stuff like that… often?"

Raith shook his head. "It's only in really stressful situations. Also, I would like it if your Ghost would stop trying to scan me." He added, pushing Dinklebot away from his head. "What about you? Do you run out of ammo a lot?

Katie looked away, the "fins" on her head shaking slightly. "Yeah, all the time. But aside from that, I'm not half bad with a Pulse Rifle." She shrugged.

As she fell silent, Raith pulled up his inventory, mumbling to himself. "Pulse Rifle… ammo… here it is." He looked up at his partner, a book forming in his hand.

"Here, catch," he called, tossing it to the Exo. She caught it, dusting off the cover.

"A… journal?" Raith nodded, a small smile forming on his face. "Wait, is this Toland's journal?" Katie's eyes widened.

Raith shrugged. "Yeah, I was going to turn it in, but I never got around to it. Besides, I was always more of an Auto Rifle guy." He added, taking out a knife and sharpening stone.

"I'll be sure to make good use of this." Katie said, putting the gift away. "Maybe one day I'll repay you."

"Yeah, probably the same way you 'repaid' everyone else… Sparrow." Dinklebot glared at his Guardian, who chose to ignore the comment.

Raith, on the other hand, was confused. "Sparrow?" He repeated, the phrase sounding familiar to him.

Katie nodded. "Tower Sparrow. One of my more… affectionate nicknames."

Raith dropped his knife as realization dawned. "Wait, you're the one who-"

Katie held up a hand, cutting him off. "Please, modesty forbids." She slowly rose to her feet. "Anyway, as much as I would love to keep sitting here talking about me, we have Cabal to slaughter. You coming?" She asked, cocking her rifle.

Raith shook his head clear, pulling himself to his feet.

"That's the spirit, soldier!" A red Raith boomed. "Now come on you Thralls. Today is a good day for Resurrection!"

 **Song: Ready Aim Fire**

 **Artist: Imagine Dragons**

 **Album: Iron Man 3 Soundtrack**

* * *

 **And there you have it. For the first time in my writing life, I actually wrote the second chapter of a real story! Let's hope I can keep up the hot streak. Until then, this is FoxHunt5, signing off.**


	3. We Are Not Sheep

**Hello, everyone. FoxHunt5 here with chapter 3 of Ghosts of The Machine. I know this is really late. Even for me. But school, and family, and that ACCURSED FINALE TO RWBY I MEAN COME ON WHY DID SHE LRGKGRFF,XDBVM ,FDM,CV ,DFNLBF BNJK;DFSBHJHVN BVHFB HKLS GFVBDF,MDLKJSFO IER JGFOKS;VLKC!  
I'm very tired.  
Anyways, this chapter goes out to those who reviewed this story thus far. Shadowfiguredeath10, UT Midnight Sky, Guest, and of course, Cybertramon001.**

 **Enjoy.**

* * *

 **Chapter Three:** We Are Not Sheep, We Are Soldiers

"Dinklebot, set a course for the Tower." Katie sat on her bed aboard her Fangs of Nyx, cracking open Toland's journal.

"Seeders… combustible…" she mumbled to herself, jotting down some notes.

"Yes, Guardian. Guardian? Are you alright?"

Katie looked up, not sure what her Ghost was saying. "What d'ya mean, Dinklebot?"

"Well, you just seem to be a bit… off. Not really like yourself."

Katie put down the journal, making sure to mark her spot. "Dinklebot, I'm gonna need a better description than 'off'. That's not very descriptive."

Dinklebot paused before responding. "I don't quite know how to put it to … you have a new top priority, I guess. And, as crazy as it may sound, you seemed to briefly think about that Hunter more than yourself."

Katie shrugged, picking up her reading material. "Well, he gave me this without hesitation. And this thing is about as rare as it gets."

Dinklebot stared at the book. "Correct me if I'm wrong, Katie, but isn't that journal infamous for causing madness?"

Katie leaned back, opening the journal once more. "Only the worrying parts. And, you know, the pages with drool stains." Katie replied. "Death of darkness… shall become fuel for greater fires…" She muttered, writing more notes.

"Uh, Katie? You do realize his full title was Toland the Shattered, right?"

The Exo nodded absentmindedly, jotting down more notes. _If you believe your weapon wants to end all existence_ -

"Guardian, he was called 'shattered' for his mental state. Following his example is a bad idea."

 _-then so it will_. Katie looked up at her Ghost.

"My dear Dinklebot, are you suggesting that I, an Exo, possibly the highest form of sentient life, will be driven insane by a bunch of nonsensical journal entries?"

Dinklebot avoided her gaze, looking rather sheepish for a single glowing eye. "Well… you never know."

Katie let out a chuckle, shaking her head. "Don't worry, it'll take a whole lot more than a book to make the butter slip off my noodle."

Dinklebot groaned, already starting to doubt his companion's sanity. Still, he couldn't keep himself from making a copy of it to study later. "Whatever you say, Guardian." He glanced at the Fangs' computer. "We're almost there."

Katie got up, slipping the journal into her pocket as she stretched her arms. "Hell." She groaned, "It's about time"

* * *

"That's a good gun, Guardian. Make sure you keep it oiled." Banshee-44 droned as he handed Katie her new Bad Juju. She accepted it happily.

"Thanks, Banshee." She paused.

"Guardian, if this is about that one night…"

"Oh, no. I was just wondering, do you know the Hunter Raith-7?

Banshee looked up, a rare grin on his mechanical face. "Oh, so this is about a night to come, then" He chuckled. "Now then, Raith-7… Raith-7… Oh, yeah. I remember now. Yeah, Raith is a funny little Exo. He loves his Suros, I know. Loves it to death. Side from that, he's got some of the best damn luck I've ever seen." He bent over, pulling up a box of dilapidated rifles. "The kid found these here Dvalins all over the Cosmodrome." Banshee looked at Katie's expression. "But I'm guessing that's not what you're here for." He shrugged, replacing the antiques under his counter. "Look, if you want more info, you should talk to his mentors."

Katie looked confused. "Mentors?"

The gunsmith nodded. "Yeah, kid has a ton of them. Seems he wants to know everything about everything." He paused, thinking to himself. "There's the Dead Orbit rep."

Katie shivered as she recalled her last encounter with Arach Jalaal.

* * *

"You will have the honor of birthing a new fleet for Dead Orbit!" The Awoken called to a quickly disappearing Katie-5.

* * *

"I… would prefer to keep physical interactions with the Arach to a minimum." Katie replier, artificial skin crawling.

The blue Exo nodded knowingly, this not being the first time Dead Orbit had scared off a Guardian. "In that case, I think Cayde-6 would be your best bet."

"Oh yeah… should've thought of that." Katie shrugged. "Oh, well. Catch ya later, Banshee." The Warlock called over her shoulder as she jumped over the railing.

"Yeah, you're welcome. My pleasure, Warlock," the Gunsmith grumbled as he returned to the calibrations he was in the middle of.

* * *

"Cayde?"

"Hmm?" The Vanguard looked up to see Katie sitting on the table in front of him. "Oh, hey Warlock." He looked back down at his map. "What's up?"

"Is Raith-7 here?"

"At the moment, the Hunter Raith-7 is out on a reconnaissance mission," Cayde's Ghost quipped.

"Thanks, D. Raith should be back before dark. Is that alright?" Cayde glanced up at Katie's face, recognition dawning. "...I see." Cayde looked at his workstation, falling silent. Katie sat silently for a moment before losing her patience.

"What are you-"

"You wanna know what makes Raith such a good Hunter?" Cayde looked up, his green eyes narrowing. "It's his single mindedness. His refusal to let anything distract him, and never back down from a challenge." He straightened up, still glaring at the other Exo. "And while I wonder what would happen if he ever put anything- or anyone- before the mission, I don't want to find out what effect it would have."

"I-"

"Especially if that someone were incapable of doing anything for him in return, Sparrow." He added, spitting the last word.

"That's enough, Cayde." Ikora spoke up, looking at the confrontation. The old Warlock looked at the young Exo. "I'll take care of this, Cayde. You get back to work." She gestured towards the edge of the hall, to a spot dubbed by the Guardians as "Xûr's Alcove".

The Warlock mentor sighed. "I may not know this 'Raith' of yours, but here's what I do know: you are, at heart, a good person, if pretty impulsive. I also know, personally, that a bad reputation can be the worst thing anyone can receive." The old Warlock chuckled. "You would not believe how many have approached me, thinking I would turn them into a frog."

"What are you saying, Rey?" Katie groaned, her patience already wearing thin.

Ikora looked up at the Guardian, serious once more. "What I'm saying, is you can either conform to your reputation-"

* * *

Across the Tower, sneezes were heard from Executor Hideo, lord Shaxx, and Master Rahool

* * *

"-Or you can choose not to care-"

* * *

Almost simultaneously, Arach Jalaal, Commander Zavala, and Lakshmi-2 all felt a tingling sensation around the nasal region

* * *

"-But which-"

"The Hive call out my name once more!" Eris Morn burst, making everyone around her jump.

"... As I was saying, whichever you choose, it will change how others see you. I chose not to care, and never have I had cause to regret it."

The two Warlocks stood in silence before Katie spoke up.

"I think I get you." She shrugged. "But I just try to take life as it comes."

Ikora sighed. "One day, Katie. One day." She shook her head. "Nevertheless, as your advisor, I think you should do something about that Hunter of yours. He's overworking himself, if Cayde is anyone to go by."

Katie considered her options. True, Ikora was her mentor and all, but would she understand? More importantly, did Katie herself understand?

The Exo shrugged. "I dunno, Rey. I met Raith on a mission, and…" She slowly fell silent.

After a minute or two passed, Ikora spoke up. "When your Hunter next returns, make sure you speak with him. Take his mind off his missions for once."

Katie stopped, confused at what she was hearing. "But Cayde said-"

"Cayde means well," Ikora interjected, glancing at the Vanguard over her shoulder. "but people are often more complicated than he thinks." She turned back to Katie. "If a Guardian becomes obsessed with battling the Darkness, they are often consumed by it. I've seen it more times than I can remember." She sighed. "I'll be frank, Guardian. One day, your Hunter will run into an enemy that he cannot beat. Unless he has something- or someone- to give him a reason to come back, his Light will be extinguished, and we will lose a valuable Guardian. Not to mention how moody and depressed Cayde will get. So do yourself a favor, and give that Hunter something to fight for. Can I trust you to do that?"

Her mind drawing a blank, Katie answered with the first thing that came to her. "I'll… see what I can do."

Ikora nodded. "Thank you, Guardian. Now go have some down time. You're no good to the Vanguard dead on your feet." With that, the Vanguard returned to her spot at the table, leaving Katie to consider her options.

Eventually, she shrugged, heading to the bar.

* * *

Raith focused his eyes on the object in his hand, feeling it pulsate within his grasp.

"Xûr, I've been wondering, what do these Coins mean?"

The shadowy figure looked up at the Hunter, shaking unsteadily. "These Coins… they are gifts for the Nine. They give them strength." Raith shivered as the Agent of the Nine made eye contact with him under his hood."They can turn the smallest Light into a blazing star, the most miniscule shadow into the blackest of holes." Xûr handed Raith his new Young Ahamkara's Spine. "They are potential incarnate." The shadowy Agent fell silent.

Raith wandered around before finding himself, as always, in front of Cayde-6.

* * *

"Xûr's coins? I dunno, we just find 'em in the wild. Your guess is as good as mine." The Exo shrugged. "Only guy who might have something is Tevis."

"Tevis?"

The Vanguard nodded. "Nightstalker. Been around forever. He might know something. If he's off duty, you should find him near the slots."

Raith paused. "...The slots?"

"Yeah. Th 10, I think it's called. A bar and casino on floor 13. " Cayde paused. "By the way, some Warlock came by earlier, askin' for ya. I dunno what they wanted, but…" He sighed. "Just… prepare for the worst, alright?" The old Exo looked up, a rare show of emotion evident on his face.

"Cayde, what-"

"Get going, Hunter. Shoo." the advisor looked back down at his map. "If Tevis leaves, it could be days before he comes back."

* * *

Alex looked up from his tablet. He'd been working in Tower Ops for a few months now, and he had really thought he'd seen it all. Especially after that Ogre incident. But this was something else entirely. Never had he seen Cayde so… passionate about something.

"Uh, Cayde, sir? Are you alright?" He asked, his voice barely more than a whisper.

"You've heard what they say, right? About Exos?" Cayde said, almost to himself.

"... Sir?" Alex replied, confused.

"They say that since we don't have hearts, we don't have emotions."

"Mister Cayde, sir?" Alex asked, recalling a rumor he heard about the Exo. "Are you talking about that… that girl of yours?"

The Hunter mumbled, staring intently at his map.

Alex stood silently for a while, before quietly stepping away. He checked his tablet to see that he was needed in the main hangar. As he passed Eris, he swore he heard the Bane of Crota let out a sad sigh.

 **Song: Soldiers**

 **Artist: Otherwise**

 **Album: True Love Never Dies**

* * *

 **And done. I'll be honest, I just started writing this chapter with no idea where it would end up going. I'll try to get back to my usual writing style next chapter, but no promises. Until then, this is FoxHunt5, signing off.**


	4. We Will Take It Back

**Hello, everyone. FoxHunt5 here, with what is undoubtedly the most procastinated chapter of Ghosts of The Machine yet! Seriously, I had the entire thing written down around a month ago. I just couldn't type it up.**

 **But I digress. I'm not here to talk about me, but to deliver a new chapter. And here it is. So enjoy.  
Disclaimer: I do not own Destiny, Bungie does. If it were otherwise, I would make armor shaders customizable, and NOT SO GODDAMN EXPENSIVE AND WHY DO I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL LEVEL 20-**

 **Sorry again. Anyway, I don't own Destiny. Just this story.**

* * *

 **Chapter 4:** One Maniac at a Time, We Will Take It Back

Tevis groaned, slamming his cup on the table. "Yeah, I'm old. Ol' enough to hate mah job."

Raith sighed. "Then what do you know about Strange Coins?"

"Those thingamajigs? They like, like wossnames. Ba' 'm wif Light'r Dark, n'dey make ya strong. 'S why der warm. It's coz deyre drinkin' up Light." The old Nightstalker shakily rose to his feet. "Imma hafta go home, I fink. Ghost, do yer fing." His Ghost sighed, activating the transmat.

Raith shook his head, sitting down at the bar. Since he was rarely (read as "never") off duty, his Ghost had to use some Glimmer to make a set of casual clothing. He was currently wearing a maroon button-up shirt, dark grey jeans, and black leather boots. Being a Hunter, Raith also had a dark grey hooded jacket, black fingerless gloves, and one of his innumerable knives strapped to his leg. The result was… less than subtle.

"Hey, you!" Raith turned from the counter to see a burly man, probably more than a little drunk. Raith glanced at his hands. THe man was holding a bottle. A good weapon for bludgeoning or, in a pinch, stabbing. "You're one of those Guardians, right?"

Raith gently rested his arms on his legs, subtly laying a hand on his knife. "What makes you say that?"

The man took an unsteady step forward. "You're an Exo. Exos are all Guardians." He grinned at his unshakable logic.

The Hunter let out a chuckle. "Not too sure about that, but you're half right. I am indeed a Guardian."

The alcoholic stumbled, a dangerous fire alight in his eyes. "Yeah, that's what I thought, what with you acting like ya own the place."

The Exo tilted his head, genuinely confused. "I what?"

The man tightened his grip on the bottle, his knuckles turning white. "You Guardians, thinking yer better'n the rest of us, just b'cause y'never die." Raith's electronic eye seemed to twitch at that. "And you know something? It's because of yew we're stuck in this godforsaken City!"

"Leonard…" One of the man's friends warned.

"No, I wanna know something, Guardian. How come, after years an' years of living here, we still haven't reclaimed a single goddammed colony?"

"Because the Darkness-"

"The Darkness? You've been blamin' everything on the 'Darkness' fer years, ya bastard! More than long enough ta set up one little colony, you robotic-"

The man's rant came to a sudden and decisive halt. A knife to the foot tends to have that effect on people.

Raith stood, walking over to the aggressor. "Leonard, was it?" One of the man's friends nodded anxiously. "Well, Leonard. I'll let you in on a little secret. We Guardians aren't gods. We're me- we're mortals. I have lost friends to the Darkness. We all have. But there's only so much we can do." Raith sidestepped a wild right hook, grabbing Leonard at the wrist. "I'm just doing my job. I suggest you do the same." With that, Raith released the man, pulling out his knife on his way back to the counter.

The Hunter sat down at the bar, ordering a drink as Leonard hit the floor. People like him were growing more and more common these days. They were scared, was all. Scared of their own inabilities, scared of the darkness, and scared that all their worst nightmares would become reality. Thing was, the Guardians weren't all that different. Raith had lost far too many allies to the Darkness. And every day seemed to be darker than the last.

"You certainly handled that well." Raith turned to see a familiar Exo sitting beside him.

"Lauren. What an unexpected surprise."

"Hello Raith. I would have a word with you."

"Another high-level target?"

"Correct."

"Cataclysmic consequences should I fail?"

"Of course."

"Any chance of some sort of explanation?"

"Take a guess."

"No it is." Raith took a drink. "Usual terms?"

The Exo nodded. "Bring its head and I'll give you intel."

Raith took another sip. "Send the details to Shayde. I'll head out at first light."

Lauren nodded, pulling up her hood as she dissipated in a blue mist.

Shayde appeared by his Guardian's shoulder, his shell now purple. "Raith, you know I love going on your… extravagant adventures…"

"Debatable." Raith muttered, taking another sip.

"...But I really think you should stop going on these wild goose chases for Laur- I mean, the Exo Stranger." He groaned. "Why can't you just call her the Exo Stranger like everyone else?"

"Okay, first off, I'm not gonna call someone 'stranger' every time I see them. And secondly, I'm not doing it for her. I'm doing it for her info. Not to mention, my actions have an effect on the future of the Light. I can't sit idly by. I have a duty to the Last City."

"Gotta say Raith, that's pretty dramatic. Even fer you." The Guardian glanced over to see Amanda Holliday sit next to him. "How many of those have you had?"

"This is my first."

The shipwright grinned mischievously . "Well, how 'bout we fix that?" She chuckled, waving over the bartender. "Another round, barkeep. On me."

"That's not really necessary, Holliday."

"Okay. Scratch that, barkeep. This round's on him" Holliday called. "And there ain't any need ta stand on occasion, Raith. There's nothin' wrong with callin' me Amanda. She added as an Awoken brought them their drinks. The shipwright took a sip. "We are off duty, after all."

The Guardian sighed, king a swig of the thick oily substance in his cup. It had a strange, pleasant tang to it. Overall, it as a pretty good drink… whatever it was. "Sorry about that, Holl- I man, Amanda." He shook his head. "So is something the matter?"

"Actually yeah, there is. See, I found an old ship blueprint. Ashen Phoenix, it's called. Problem is, i don't have any way ta take it on a test flight without, y'know, putting the pilot's life in danger. What say you give it a go? You are pretty good with ships, after all." She offered a grin.

Raith looked up. "A new ship? What's it look like?"

Holliday took another drink, recalling all the details. "It's a lot like yer Laughing Behind Your Back, fer starters. It's color scheme, guns, an' armor are all different, though. In a way, it's kinda like yerself. It's got less armor, so a lot a' the inner workings are showing. And so most of it is black an' grey. The trimmins are a some special shade a red. Crimson , I think it was called. And of course, it has a full set a' guns, one pair gatling, and one pair a' long range missiles."

Raith nodded, forming an image of the ship in his Golden Age mind. "You said it has less armor. What's to keep, for example, a Fallen Ketch from blasting me out of the skies?"

"Ah see, that's what's special about it. It's got some kinda shield generator on it that's unlike anythin' I've ever seen. It'll match yer Laughing blow fer blow, an' then some. An' all fer the low price of your untimely death if it malfunctions."

"Sounds like the majority of my equipment." Raith replied nonchalantly, gulping down the rest of his drink. "Tell you what, if you upgrade my Sparrow to full stats, I'll be your test pilot."

The shipwright held out her hand. "Deal." The Guardian shook it firmly. "Come by the hangar in ten minutes. I'll have it all set up fer ya then." With that, Holliday got up, tossed some Glimmer on the counter, and made her way to the exit. "Oh, and tell Cayde I said hi, Guardian." She called over her shoulder.

If Raith had been an organic, he would've raised an eyebrow at the blonde's comment. "Frank?" His Ghost formed bedside him. "Is it just me, or has Hol- has Amanda brought up Cayde in one from or another every one of our conversations for the past month?"

"No, I think she has. Not to mention, every time his name is mentioned, her pulse goes up."

"Yeah, seems li-" The Guardian did a double take. "Wait, what? Have you been bioscanning her?"

Shayde-Frank avoided Raith's gaze, looking rather embarrassed for a floating eye. "...Maybe a bit?"

The Exo shook his head. "I know you work with machines, but come on, Frank. I expected you to have slightly better people skills than that."

The little bot blinked. "Yeah, and speaking of people skills, you seem kinda laid-back lately." He recalled the source of his Guardian's discomfort. "Have the memories…" He left the question hanging.

Raith nodded, starting on his second round. "They're getting less… painful. The last one, as far as I can remember, about the dawn of the Golden Age. And that is a memory I am willing to treasure, rather than run from."

Shayde blinked once more. "I gotta say, Raith. I've never seen this side of you."

The Guardian nodded sagely. "I know. Guess it's just really nice to be able to sleep at night again." He offered a small smile. "Besides, things are starting to calm down around here. It's about time I took some time to appreciate life." Within moments of saying this, Raith finished his drink, the Exo 'alcohol' already slurring his actions. "Hey Frank? Wake me up in 10 minutes, arright?"The Hunter mumbled, his head coming to rest on the counter as he fell into a deep slumber.

* * *

My body is cold, but I can feel… nothing.

Where am I? Why is everything dark? Am I- Am I dead?

Wait. That arrow. It hit me, square in the chest. It must have killed me.

"Doctor." A voice. A… man? "He's showing neurological activity. Should we turn him on?" Activity? Turn on? And… a doctor? Am I in a hospital?

"Alright. But… slowly." Another voice. The doctor? Wait. I can feel my legs. My arms. My-

The pain. Oh, god. I'm burning.

I open my mouth and scream.

And scream.

And-

* * *

Raith shot up, unsheathing a knife and swinging towards-

"Raith! What the bloody hell are ya doing?"

Shayde? Raith thought, his mechanical breaths heavy. He slowly put his knife back.

"Raith? What happened there, mate?"

The Exo rested his forehead in his hands. "I… I let my guard down. I let my guard down, and I paid the god damn price." A shiver coursed through his body. "Never again. I can't…" He shook his head. "Ghost. Can you- can you make me forget?"

Reggie rotated 'no'. "Sorry mate. I'm afraid not."

Raith groaned, trying to get his head back together.

A red Ghost shimmered in front of him. "Come on, you useless Thrall! Is this how a Guardian who single-handedly killed three Kells would act?"

"...No…"

"What about a Guardian who banished the soul of Crota, a feat six Guardians failed to accomplish?"

"Not really…"

"Oh, so then what does the Exo who faced down the Heart of Darkness do when faced with a bad dream?"

"...He gets back on his feet. Pain and loss are a part of life. The best thing to do is to be a good soldier and get over it." The Guardian stood, drawing himself to his full height. "And as a Guardian, it's my job to be a good soldier."

Shayde nodded approvingly. "Nicely said, Raith. Now how 'bout you go talk to Holliday? It's high time you tested out that ship."

The Exo nodded, already finding solace in the apathy he so often retreated into. With military precision, he spun on a dime, and headed off towards an unsure future.

* * *

At about the same time, another Guardian at th 10 was considering the future, an unusual activity for the Exo in question.

"I mean, one time I can understand, but twice? In one day, no less?"

"Katie, as much as I support you, I feel I should sober you up a bit before you do something… rash."

The Warlock snorted. "As if sobriety would keep me from being rash." Her robotic eyes drifted, for the umpteenth time that night, towards the Hunter resting at the counter. "Besides, from how I've heard it, Raith-7 is something of a legend in the Tower." She waved her hands around, mimicking the energetic ramblings of the newer Guardians. "Once he disarmed and killed a Kell with nothing more than a knife! In his first month, he beat Cayde's Dare! He once infiltrated the Vault of Glass all by himself and killed Atheon!" She lowered her hands, taking a sip of her drink. "And then, to run into him not once, but twice in one day? It's a sign, Dink. I gotta-"

"Katie, don't. That Hunter… he worries me." Dinklebot narrowed his eye. "I get some seriously strange vibes from him."

The Exo shrugged. "Fair enough." A robotic smile found its way onto her face. "That tends to happen after finding a couple dozen Calcified Fragments."

The Ghost paused at this. Then, in a hopeful voice, asked "Calcified Fragments?"

Katie nodded, taking another sip. 'Yeah. One of the rumors says he once spent weeks in the tunnels inside the moon, gathering intel on potential Ascendant Hive. From what I've heard, he found a cache of Calcified Fragments in a shrine to Crota or something." Her grin widened. "Together, he discovered the origins and rise of the Hive."

"The- the creation of the Hive?" Dinklebot sputtered. "Where they came from? And their birth?"

"Yyup." The Warlock emptied her cup, standing up shakily. "Anyways, I think it's about time we got back home, right Dink?"

The Ghost glared daggers at his Guardian. "You know Katie, there are days when I really wish I belonged to another Guardian." He sighed. "If you really want to… 'get with' the Hunter… I won't get in your way." Dinklebot conceded.

Katie chuckled, patting the defeated bot. "Thanks Dink. That really means the world to me. It really does."

He sighed. "Just go… do your thing, so I can chat with his Ghost about those Fragments."

Katie nodded, turning towards Raith. Or rather, where Raith was. The Exo anxiously looked around.

"He's in the Hangar." The bartender grunted.

Katie nodded in hurried thanks before making her way out of th 10, leaving it with only a brown-haired man, idly flicking a lighter on and off.

 **Song: The Phoenix**

 **Artist: Fall Out Boy**

 **Album: Save Rock and Roll**

* * *

 **And with that, I have (finally) finished. And if you were wondering, I _do_ ship Cayde, Amanda, and Eris. I just don't know which of the two girls should end up with him. *Sigh* So many ships, so little time.**

 **But until then, this is FoxHunt5, signing off.**


	5. Seek It Out

**Hello, everyone. FoxHunt5 here, and, for once, on time!**

 ***Checks date and time***

 **...Shit.**

 **I am SOOOOO SORRY! Things have just been so busy! I'm a terrible excuse for a person! Please forgive me! My family is getting ready to move, and-  
Actually, nevermind. You don't want to hear about my woes. If anyone's here, it's because they want to read. So I'll be shutting up now.  
**

 **But first, this chapter goes to xDreemurr246, my latest Reviewer, who described it as "active".**

 **...Oops? Anyways, here's your story.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Destiny. If it were otherwise, I would let PS3 and X Box 360 users have as much access to Rise of Iron as next-gen players. Freaking Year Two Iron Gjallarhorn...**

* * *

 **Chapter 5:** Seek It Out And Ye Shall Find

The Tower, it was often said, was a home away from home for the Guardians. Of course, different Guardians drifted towards different areas. The younger Guardians often found themselves in the Tower Plaza, where they could meet friends, receive training, or even have a dance-off.

Tower North, on the other hand, seemed to always house the more experienced members, hunting after Xûr, meeting with the Speaker, or getting a new Armor Shader.

The Hall of Guardians, everyone felt, was a place for the oldest of the Guardians. A place where they could work to improve themselves and get stronger, be it in the Crucible or against the Darkness.

But the Hangar… unless a Guardian had a mission or a lot of money, the Tower Hangar was always empty. Just Amanda, a couple of faction reps, and an old Quartermaster Frame.

' _So why was there another dot on the radar?'_ Raith thought to himself as he piloted _Ashen Phoenix_ past the sleeping Traveller. He shook his head. ' _Focus on the job in front of you. It's just paranoia.'_

"Handles pretty well." Raith commented. So far, _Ashen Phoenix_ was proving to be a ship rivaling the best Holliday had to offer. He checked the specs on the HUD. He was still far within what the _Phoenix_ could do. The Exo gunned the engine, shooting off into a cloud bank. Another glance showed that the ship was flying at 5000 miles per hour, and he was still under a sixth of the _Phoenix_ 's full power. Impressive. And as for how it handled, Raith tilted the throttle, sending his ship into an Aileron Roll. So far, the ship had full marks in both speed and maneuverability. And weapons, if Shayde's analysis was to be trusted. But in the field, knowing was barely half the battle. The Hunter turned on the _Phoenix_ 's radio, searching for Guardian transmissions.

"...epeat. My name is... ra. I'm pinned down by a F...en Skiff. I need im...te aid."

Shayde flared, forming an orb of blue light around his core. "The signal's there, but only just." He said in a gruff voice. "It's coming from the European Dead Zone." His red shell snapped back. "Looks like it's in northern Germany" The Ghost whirred, displaying broken coordinates on _Phoenix_ 's HUD.

Raith changed course, his ship spinning on a dime and shooting towards the European Dead Zone. Within moments, he saw the familiar rotting streets and buildings that lined the EDZ. An involuntary sigh escaped the Exo The dilapidated streets used to be a shining example of human ingenuity and progress in the face of adversity. But then the Collapse hit, and it hit _hard_. Now, the buildings crumbled on contact, and streets everywhere reeked of death and decay. Worse still, taking a wrong turn on one of the streets would bring you uncomfortably close to a gang of Fallen scouts.

Shayde looked around. "Over there. I'm getting signs of Arc weaponry." Raith shook his head, returning his attention to the mission. True to what Raith interpreted from the garbled transmission, a Fallen Skiff was hovering over a small army of Dregs, Vandals, and Captains.

"Raith, there are two Guardians up ahead." Shayde reported. "Not sure how long they'll be able to hold out."

The Exo nodded. "Open a channel to their Ghosts." Shayde whirred, his crimson shell spinning. After a moment, he nodded a confirmation. "Guardians" Raith transmitted. "My name is Raith-7. Do you read me?" The Hunter awaited their response, noting an unusual power surge within the _Phoenix_. Before he could investigate, he started hearing words within Shayde's static.

"...king time you got here, Guardian." A woman, judging from the pitch, responded. "What took you so long?"

"I got here as soon as I could after hearing your transmission. What is your status?"

"Well, we could be doing better, but we'll live." An explosion sounded on her end. "Probably."

Raith nodded. "Alright. I'll see if I can dispose of the Fallen." The _Phoenix_ 's guns locked onto the largest gathering of Fallen. Within moments, its lasers began tearing through everything in a twenty yard radius. Raith checked the power gauge, seeing that there was still too much excess energy. He would either have to vent it, or risk blasting the ship to pieces. Raith twisted the throttle, turning to face the Skiff. Without breaking his gaze, the Exo turned on his shields and revved the engines.

"Raith?" Shayde quivered in his purple shell. "Please tell me you aren't about to-"

Before he could finish his thought, the ship shot forward, gatling guns making short work of the exposed Fallen weaponry. A split second later, the _Ashen Phoenix_ rammed into the Skiff, the experimental shield taking the brunt of the impact while the ship itself was left unscathed. An arc of excess energy shot out from the ship, severing the damaged weapons in their entirety. Both ships sat tensely in the air for a second before the Skiff turned tail and fled.

"Well… I guess that worked" Shayde mumbled

"Guardian, how are things looking down there?"

"Damn, I've seen a lot of gutsy stunts in my time, but that takes the cake." The woman on the other end commented. "What'd you say your name was again?"

"Raith. Raith-7." The Exo glanced at the ship's HUD to see that the _Phoenix_ 's energy levels were stable once again. "Are you two alright?"

"Little banged up, but nothing we can't handle. Wanna pop down here? Those Fallen left quite a few Engrams." Raith shrugged, pulling himself out of his seat. He pressed a button by his side, and he was teleported directly beneath his ship. In front of him were, just as it had been said, two Guardians.

One of them, a female Warlock, looked up at his arrival. From what Raith knew of Warlock armor, she was wearing The Ram, an Exotic helmet able to turn the least competent of Voidwalkers into massively formidable opponents. The rest of her outfit seemed pretty standard to Raith: red robes, black boots, bright Bond, and dark gloves.

The Titan next to her, however, looked rather unlike any Raith had seen before. On his chest was the Armamentarium, a feared and respected piece of armor, both in the Crucible and in the wild. But the rest of his gear… well, where to start? His Mark was certainly unusual and, not to put too fine a point on it, a Hive loincloth. His helmet was a bright mix of white and red, so he may be a supporter of New Monarchy. His gauntlets were a shade of green that made mechanical bile rise in Raith's throat. And to top it all off, he was wearing baby blue boots. The effect of it all left the Exo all but speechless.

"Raith, was it? Thanks for your help back there."

"Raith-7, yes." The Hunter answered, removing his hood. "Hunter of the first class." He added, unclasping his helmet to reveal the mechanical skull underneath. The Exo held out his hand, feeling the tingle of the wind on his synthetic skin.

The Warlock took his hand, shaking it firmly. "Name's Bri'ara Vess." With her other hand, Vess took off her own helmet to show that she was an Awoken.

Just like most of her kind, she had bright glowing Vess… her eyes _burned._ They glowed a shade of orange with such ferocity that Raith almost had to step back. The rest of her face, though, was pretty much standard for an Awoken. Light blue complexion, purple facial markings, and light lavender hair all brushed to one side.

Bri'ara paused, her face slightly contorted in concentration. "Raith-7… aren't you that one guy?" She turned to the Titan. "Ferrick, isn't that the name of that Reaper guy?"

"Bri'ara's companion, who was catching his breath on a nearby rock, looked up. "Isn't that the… the Robotic Reaper or something?"

" _That's_ the one!" She turned to the apparent celebrity. "So, is it true that you single-handedly raided the Vault of Glass?"

Raith shrugged. "Does it matter?"

Bri'ara considered this. "Not really."

Raith looked around. "Not many Guardians come here. What brought you to this sector?"

In response, Bri'ara glared at her partner, who found a sudden interest in field-stripping his Hand Cannon. "Well, it _was_ a routine patrol for Future War Cult, but _someone_ thought they saw a Gold Chest."

"In all fairness, they look _very_ similar to Fallen Caches!"

The Warlock shook her head. "Anyway, it turned out this area belonged to the House of Devils, and they _really_ don't like intruders. Or thieves. Or Guardians, for that matter." She shrugged lightheartedly. "They tend to be antisocial like that."

Raith crossed his arms. "You should've known better than to run headfirst into enemy territory like that. We can't afford to lose any more Guardians."

"Alright, we get it already" Bri'ara groaned. "I'm sure we would've been fine."

The Veteran Hunter snarled. "This isn't a _game_ , Warlock. The Fallen are dangerous, crafty, and more powerful than you can imagine."

"The Wolves" Ferrick spoke up, having finished working on his Hand Cannon and moved on to a Fusion Rifle.

Vess glanced at her partner in confusion. "Wolves?"

"A Fallen house, originally led by a Kell named Skolas against the Reef." Replied the Titan. "They've been getting more active in the past few weeks. I thought you of all people would know, being Awoken and all."

The Awoken shrugged. "I don't pay much attention to politics."

Alan shook his head. "Anyway, rumor has it that they've been taking out Guardians all over the system in their war against the Queen." The Titan paused, as if bringing to mind a long-forgotten memory. "...Another thing I heard about the Robotic Reaper is that he hates the Fallen above all other enemies. That they killed his friends, and so he works to hunt them across the system." Ferrick faced the Hunter, his gaze boring into him under his crimson helmet.

Raith narrowed his eyes. The Titan before him acted like a typical ignorant piece of muscle, but under the surface he was so much more than that. "What did you say your name was, Titan?"

"Alan Ferrick."

"Well Alan, you are correct. I have no love for the Fallen. The vermin."

Alan nodded, pulling out a small rag and wiping down his Fusion Rifle. After a moment, his companion spoke up. "So is that why you were so aggressive with the Skiff, right?"

"Partially. I also needed to vent an energy surge in my ship, and the Skiff vas more than a viable target." As he glanced at his still- sparking spoils of war, a thought formed in his head.

"Shayde, is the _Phoenix_ compatible with Fallen weaponry?"

The scarlet Ghost shimmered into existence. "You bet yer keister it is. Ya thinkin' of ming some modifications?"

"From what I've seen, Skiff weaponry like its mines could be of great help against surface-bound targets."

"I got ya. I'll need a few minutes and we'll have one of the first Tower-Fallen hybrid ships."

"Soo… what brings you out here?" Bri'ara piped up.

"I had to test out a new ship for Holliday before my next assignment."

"Assignment?"

"The Vanguard chose to make me a personal trainer for Guardians. Basically, younger Guardians can hire me to train them, teach them advanced techniques, or help them finish particularly difficult missions."

"So, you're like… A Hunter-for-Hire?"

"I suppose that is a valid description."

"Huh. We could use one of those. What'dya say, Alan?"

The Titan shrugged. "I see no reason why not." He conceded.

"Cool. So how much would it be, exactly?"

"300 Glimmer for one mission, 500 for two."

The Warlock nodded. "Not bad. I think I may have to take you up on that soon."

"So long as it does not interfere with my other missions." Raith responded, turning to his Ghost. "We ready?"

"Just gotta connect this last power coupling, and…" The Arc weaponry sparked and hummed. "We're good. Now to test this baby out." The _Phoenix_ whirred and shot out a sparkling blue mine. It bounced off a few walls before detonating in midair.

"Heh. These Eliksni weapons ain't half bad." Shayde commented smugly. "Oh, and by the way, Holliday says that she wants you back ASAP."

"Understood." The Exo nodded towards the other Guardians. "I thank you for your time. It was rather… educational."

"Yeah, we should do this again sometime." Vess grinned.

Raith's body began shimmering. "I look forward to it."

* * *

"Well, he seemed…" Bri'ara paused to find the right word.

 _A better Guardian than you could ever hope to be?_ The Darkness whispered in the Warlock's ear.

She winced, slipping her helmet back on in the hopes that it could drown it out, or-

 _That Exo displayed honor. And strength. And maturity. All traits that you lack._ The Darkness taunted her.

"He seemed…?" Ferrick pressed.

Vess shook her head, momentarily clearing her mind. "Different, I guess. I thought all Hunters were supposed to be all about style instead of practicality, and all that."

The Titan holstered his Fusion Rifle. "Well, I know I used to consider all Warlock to be spineless scholars and philosophers. But you certainly proved me wrong."

The Awoken woman chuckled. "Guilty as charged. So, any more Golden Chests you wanna chase after, or can we round up some Engrams for Rahool and go home?"

Alan nodded, looking up at the slowly disappearing trail of the Reaper's ship. _One day, Hunter. One day._

* * *

"So, how's it fly, Guardian?" Holliday asked as the _Ashen Phoenix_ was sent down into the Tower's garage.

"There seems to be some kind of power fluctuation caused by the shields. I had to overclock it to keep from detonating in its entirety. However, I was able to redirect the excess energy to some… modifications I made."

"Uhuh. And would these 'modifications' happen to include a Fallen mine dispenser and concussive lasers?"

"Yes. I recovered one pair of each."

Holliday sighed, tapping at her PDA. "Well, I'm sure we can take care of the energy surge issue, so the _Phoenix_ should be up for sale soon. Without the Fallen stuff, a'course. Those'll be on yers and yers alone." She swiped right on an application. "Oh, right. There's some Warlock waitin' for ya in the Lounge," She added as she settled down on her usual spot.

 _A Warlock?_ Raith thought as he made his way downstairs. _I don't know any Warlocks- not as more than coworkers, anyway. There's Bri'ara, but it's impossible that she got to the Tower first. Maybe it's the Exo that aided me in killing Valus Ta'arc. Kate?_

"Hey, Hunter. What's up?" A feminine voice sounded out. In front of Raith, lounging on a seat next to the Jukebox, was, indeed, the Exo Warlock Raith had worked with before, fins and all.

"Warlock." Raith responded, standing across from her.

"There's no need to stand on occasion, you know. Grab a drink. They do some pretty high-quality oil here." She smiled, taking a sip from a glass sitting by her arm. Raith silently eased himself onto a nearby seat.

"Is there something you need from me, Warlock?"

The Exo smirked. "You _can_ call me Katie, you know. Or Katie-5, if you want."

"As you wish. Is there something I can do for you, _Katie?_ "

'As a matter of fact, this is about what _I_ can do for _you_ ," Katie replied, getting out of her chair to sit on Raith's armrest. "I've heard about you, Raith. Always rushing around, trying to prove you're the strongest Guardian. You work yourself so hard."

"I do what is required of me," the Hunter responded. He detected a strange-though not entirely unpleasant-scent coming off the Warlock. Like a mix of roses and gasoline.

Katie nodded, nonchalantly resting her elbow by her companion's shoulder. "I can only imagine what it must be like," she continued, curling and uncurling her index finger along where the Exo's cheekbone would be. The simple, near nonexistent contact sent shivers down his robotic spine. "Never taking time off, never being able to unwind," she continued.

Raith stared straight forward. "I have never felt the need to do so."

Katie hummed, sliding ever so closer to her fellow Guardian. "Well, maybe that's because you've never tried it out" She adjusted herself, making Raith instinctual put an arm around her waist, much to her pleasure. "So how about you and I… help each other unwind."

Raith looked up at the Warlock, her blue eyes meeting his red ones. "Are you suggesting we enter into a relationship?"

Katie shook her head, sliding off the armrest onto his lap. "Not… exactly. I was thinking more along the lines of you and I getting to know each other tonight. After all, even Exos are able to… enjoy each other's company."

Realization dawned on the Hunter. "I see why they call you the Tower Sparrow." He stood, catching Katie by the arm as she forcibly lost balance. "But I can't." He pulled her up to her feet, bringing his face tantalizingly close to her own. "I'm heading out for a high-level target in the morning. I cannot afford distractions of any sort."

Katie's mind echoed Ikora's words. ' _One day, your Hunter will run into an enemy that will slaughter him. Unless he has something-some_ one _-to give him purpose, his Light will be extinguished, and we will lose a valuable Guardian._ '

 _Thank the Traveller her lecture was short enough to pay attention to._

"So, while your offer is undoubtedly… intriguing, I will have to decline. But perhaps afterwards…"

Katie shifted her eyes back and forth, thinking of something to say. "Well, in that case, how about…" she tilted her head back up towards the Hunter. "How about I help you out?"

A thin strip of metal above Raith's eye rose in simulation of an eyebrow. "What did you say?"

The Warlock nodded. "If I help you with your target, will you at least hear me out? I can't have you running off on me, after all."

Raith paused, considering Katie's offer. "Well, I do see how you could help, but I doubt I'll be in need of it. Aside from that, I never go back on my word. You'll see me again. But the mission comes first. The mission _always_ comes first. So while I appreciate the offer, the answer is no."

Katie crossed her arms in ardent pride. "Why? Afraid that I'll slow you down?"

 _Meg'rai. Reese-14._ "Not exactly."

"Good So when do we ship out?"

 _Matt-21. Minty_. " _We_ aren't. You are not coming with me. I can handle this without your help."

"Not gonna happen. I don't care how strong you think you are, two heads are _always_ better than one."

Across his body, Raith felt it. An agonizing pain coming from stripes of vermillion all over his synthetic skin.

 _I killed them. I got distracted, and they paid the ultimate price for it. Left alone in the Darkness to die._ "I… I can't take care of you in the field."

"Then it's a damn blessing I don't need you to take care of me," Katie replied, her patience wearing thin.

"But there is no way to guarantee your safe…" The Hunter stopped. "...Nothing I say will dissuade you, correct?"

Katie shook her head, already aware of her victory. "'Fraid not," she answered smugly.

Raith grunted. "So be it. But be warned, this will not be easy. We will be headed down into the darkest depths of the Moon in search of a powerful Ascendant Hive Lord."

I'll be sure to pack some Solar weapons, then. Which reminds me, is it true about those Hive fragment things?"

"The Calcified Fragments?"

"Yeah, those. Is it true you found some in the Moon?"

"It is. Why do you ask?"

"Well, Dinklebot here has taken quite an interest in them. And until he gets a look at your Fragments, he'll beg you nonstop for them."

"As you wish. Shayde?"

The Ghost formed, bearing a pure white shell. "How goes it, mate?"

"Make a copy of the data retrieved from the Calcified Fragments and send it to Katie-5's Ghost."

"Sure thing, old sport." Shayde-Reggie replied, pushing his shell outwards. "...Alright, that out to do it. They'll be labeled under 'Books of Sorrow', I do believe."

Dinklebot formed over his Guardian's shoulder. "Okay… looks good…" He blinked (Or winked. With one eye, it can be hard to tell a lot of the time) "Wow. there is a _lot_ of information here. Thanks, Guardian."

The Exo nodded. "It is my job. Now I suggest you get some rest. If you are indeed going to be working with me, I'll need you at nothing short of your best. Is that understood?"

Katie threw a playful salute. "Loud and clear, mister Raith!" With that, the Warlock sauntered out, making sure to swing her hips the entire way.

 **Song: Counting Stars**

 **Artist: OneRepublic**

 **Album: Native**

* * *

 **And there it is. again, I am extremely sorry that this took so long to upload! It won't happen again, I swear!**

 **And by that, I mean I'll take less than a year to do the next chapter. If I'm lucky.**

 **But until then, this is FoxHunt5, signing off!**


	6. With a Thousand Lies

**Hello everyone. FoxHunt5 here, late as ever!**

 **...I'm really bad at this, aren't I?**

 **Well, no sense crying over spilled milk. And this time, I actually have a good excuse. See, I was kind of moving to an entirely different state, and that more or less occupied with that. With any luck whatsoever, it won't happen again.**

 **Now, to other matters. To the Guest who most recently reviewed this story, I imagine Exos can get drunk on alcohol in the same way Bender does in Futurama. Aside from that, Exos being able to have sex is nothing more than a matter of... _hardware_. Need I say more?**

 **Also, this chapter was co-written between me and the wonderfully talented Cybertramon001, who also owns Katie. Pretty much everything after she shows up is us working alongside each other. So if it seems different, that's the explanation.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Destiny. If it were otherwise, I would let Guardians explore the Last City, Arkham Knight-style.**

* * *

 **Chapter 6:** With a Thousand Lies (And a Good Disguise)

I stand up, feeling the cool breeze on my synthetic skin. Beneath my fingers, fields of golden stalks shimmer and glisten. I glance down at myself, seeing my grey skin and black inner workings, now unblemished by the vermillion stripes that had plagued me for so long. My hands, so often used to grip knives and guns, now feel unbelievably light as I stretch and retract my fingers. The feeling of emptiness was all but unknown to my mechanical limbs. It feels nice, really. But it seems to rub me the wrong way.

Suddenly, a pulse reverberates from behind me, rustling the stalks around me and throwing me off balance. Even as I turn, I know where it came from.

There, catching the sunlight like an oily, greasy spire, it the tower. Not _The_ Tower, but… a tower giving off an aura of… Darkness? Light? No, it was both. It was… Shadow. The cause of neither Light or Dark, but the effect of both. I shake my head. Now is not the time for philosophy. I can worry about that later. My legs buckle as another shockwave courses through me.

 _Ryan_

I look around. "Who said that?"

 _Ryan, aren't you tired of looking for answers to questions that you know you will never find?"_

The voice seems to be coming from the tower. Is there someone inside? "What questions?"

 _Who you are. Where you came from. If you can ever find peace._

A third ripple passes through me, throwing me to my knees. A bitter gathers forms in my mouth.

"What… is this?" I sputter through a clenched jaw.

 _What you feel is all the pain you have avoided for so long._

I stumble as I rise to my feet. "What do you want from me?"

 _I want you to come home, Ryan. I want you to find peace from your sorrows._

As I hear those words, a new feeling passes over me. A sense of euphoria surrounds me. And in my mechanical heart, I know that this is what I want. What I need above all else.

And then, as quickly as it came, the peace is gone.

 _This was once how you always felt, Ryan._

My eyes focus on the tower in the distance.

 _Come home. Please._

If I was still human, I would have needed to pause to think about this situation. But I am an Exo, and as an Exo, I refuse to take the chance to attain peace.

Without another thought, I turn and walk to the tower. After a minute, a figure rises from my right. Her pale blue eyes pierce me as she steps into my path.

"Turn around, Raith. There's nothing for you here."

I shake my head. "Not going to happen. Even if I wanted to, I can't. As an Exo, you must understand."

The Exo Stranger shakes her head. "Well as an Exo, I have to tell you that you _need_ to turn back." She brandishes her weapon. "Turn back, Raith. I understand that you don't know what you're dealing with." She raises her signature rifle, its barrel mere inches from my eyes. "Just turn back, and that'll be the end of it."

Something snaps within me. Here I am, so close to a reprieve that I can taste it, and one of the only people I have ever trusted thinks she can keep me away from it?

Fuck. That.

I swing my hand, smacking aside her weapon. Before she can react, I throw my clenched fist upward, slamming it into her cheek. The gun drops and her hands dart to her injured jaw.

* * *

My mind flashes back to a hand-to-hand combat session hosted by the Vanguard. The session itself was held after Shaxx had convinced his comrades that the Guardians needed to be able to defend themselves should they be unarmed. After dragging their feet for a while, however, the veteran Guardians started offering top-notch advice.

"If your opponent has disarmed you, the best option you have is to find their weak points and exploit them." Commander Zavala stood before the assembled room of Guardians. "Today, we will highlight ways to get out of dangerous situations out in the field."

"Guardians in group one, choose your weapon," Lord Shaxx ordered the men and women before him. Half of them broke off and walked to a wall covered in simulation weaponry.

My partner was an Awoken Titan by the name of Meg'rai. She had cobalt skin, bright green eyes, and whitish-gold hair cropped short in a pixie cut. She had been by my side through thick and thin, and it wa because of her I was in attendance that day.

Back when she was just starting her new life as a Guardian, she was having difficulty with an irate Fallen Archon. Luckily for her, a veteran Hunter had been passing through the area, looking for an Ultra to kill. Between the two of them -the two of _us_ \- the Archon's reign was brought to a sudden and climactic end. After that, we found ourselves working as allies, and eventually became friends.

In the combat class, Meg was in group one, which meant that it was my job to disarm her. She lifted a plasteel Scout Rifle off the rack, testing its weight.

Meg nodded approvingly, returning with rifle in hand. "You feeling lucky, punk?" She grinned.

I chuckled. "Unlike _some_ people, I don't have to worry about luck in the slightest."

"Group one, take aim at your respective partners," Shaxx called. Meg aimed down a set of iron sights, the end of her gun pointed right between my eyes. "Group two, if you find yourself in this position, your first priority is to get out of the line of fire," he boomed.

"If your enemy's weapon is too close for comfort, the best method of defense is pushing where the enemy has the least stability," toned Zavala. "For long weapons like Sniper Rifles, this would be the far end of the barrel. For shorter guns, along the lines of Hand Cannons, it's near the stock of the gun or the wrist of your opponent." We all followed his orders, some Guardians joking around with it.

"After that," Cayde-6 instructed, "You're gonna wanna focus on attacking weak points. On every opponent except Vex and Cabal, that means that you should go for joints and limbs. Even an Exo will feel it if you dislocate his shoulder." He raised his hand, signaling for us to test out his advice. Meg had a couple open spots, the biggest of which was her shoulder. I brought my hand back, then slammed it into her. The impact sent her back a couple feet onto her back, the majority of her group ending up in similar positions.

She climbed unsteadily to her feet. "Well, at least you didn't break anything." She rolled the injured arm experimentally. "In fact, I'd say the biggest injury was to my pride."

"I'll be sure to try harder next time," I replied. Meg and I had had more than our fair share of 'playful' fights, most of which were because of our Classes. I had always despised how easily Titans killed me in the Crucible, and it was no secret I felt they were incredibly cheap. On the other hand, Meg had a nasty history of Hunters killing her, be it via the scope of a Sniper Rifle, or through a knife in her back. But through our companionship, we learned that every class had pros and cons, and we just kept running into the pros.

"Always remember, Guardians," chided Ikora Rey, "in hand-to-hand combat, you must take any and all advantages presented to you. There are no rules of engagement in life-threatening situations. If you want to win, you must do all you can to balance the fight in your favor. Break bones, fight dirty, just make certain you win."

"Okay, now it's time to switch places," Cayde announced. "Group two, your job is to disarm your opponent." I turned to see a grinning Meg'rai popping her knuckles, and I suddenly began fearing for my life.

* * *

All this passes through my head in a fraction of a second. A handful of key suggestions from the memory rise to the forefront of my mind.

 _...go for the joints…_

 _...even an Exo will feel it you dislocate his shoulder…_

 _...in hand-to-hand combat, you must take any and all advantages presented to you…_

 _...just make certain you win…_

' _Press the advantage_ ,' I say to myself. I dive forward, flinging my shoulder towards the Stranger's exposed gut. But the Stranger must have been prepared for my attack. She steps back, bringing her hands down onto the Exo version of my spine. Her blow lands heavily, feeling like lead shot had landed on my back.

As I drop to my knees, I subconsciously divert all available processor power towards mental speed, sensory inputs, and an area of the brain Exos call "variable situation response". The change- though a hundredth of a second long -is for Exos what an adrenaline rush is like for humans and Awoken, albeit much stronger.

My hands shoot out and push against the ground beneath me. My shoulders barrel into the Stranger's knees, knocking her onto my shoulders. I run a rapid calculation, then kick my foot out.

My heel connects with her head, making an audible _snap_.

Not wasting a moment, I aggressively fling the Stranger off of me and roll on top of her. Her jaw is clearly broken, and around her head are shards of her facial plating. For a split second, I consider leaving her as is. But the second passes.

 _Break bones._ I swing my fist in a vicious right hook, sending hairline fractures across her visage.

 _Fight dirty._ My servos scream their protest as I bring my hand back at full speed, breaking bits and pieces off the Exo Stranger's once-ivory face.

 _Just make certain you win._ I raise up both my arms, drawing them together for a crushing final blow. Like the wrath of the heavens, my fists drop towards her face…

...Only to be caught by her forearms. Her wrists, crossed in a desperate form of defense, are blocking my strike a good foot over her face.

The two of us groan in exertion, our servos screeching their disdain. For a moment, nothing happens. We look into each other's eyes, and I know that only one of us will be walking away from this match. The Stranger must be thinking the same thing, because her eyes narrow, and I see a look on her face that is, until now, has been reserved for the Vex.

Without warning, she kicks me straight in the gut, throwing me off of her. I land on my back- _hard_ -and the Stranger puts her foot on my throat. I remember that when we first met, the Exo Stranger caved in a Vex chest plate, which are twice as dense as as the skin of an Exo. In other words, caving in my throat would be like swatting a fly for her. I swing my arms, trying desperately to dislodge her heel, but to no avail. As everything below my neck goes numb, I look up into the eyes of my… former companion. In her eyes I see no anger, no hatred. If anything, she is at peace with what is about to happen. She meets my gaze, and in that moment, so am I.

I close my eyes, and the darkness of my mind consumes me.

* * *

Raith sprang up, throwing his knife in front of him, his other hand wrapping around his Hand Cannon, aiming it at…

Nothing.

The disheveled Hunter scanned his room. Like most Guardians, Raith had been given an apartment within the Last City, as a gift form the Vanguard. Raith's apartment was really quite modest for a Hunter in his position. If he wanted to, he could have upgraded ages ago to higher-class housing. Instead, the Exo kept the tiny three-room living area, the same home he had received upon becoming a Guardian.

The Hunter pulled himself off his sleeping mat (he'd never seen any point in getting a bed) and booted up a self-diagnostics program. Nothing seemed wrong, though. He held out his hand, and a white-shelled Ghost formed over his palm.

"Mornin', Raith. How'd you sleep?" The small bot was especially perky today.

"That depends. How long until the Warlock and I have to depart?"

"Oh, about 'alf an hour. Why?"

The Hunter walked over to his closet, grabbing a set of silver Hunter armor and strapping it on. "Inform her Ghost that we'll be leaving as soon as she's ready. I'll be outside the Traveller's Walk," he added as he threw on a long, silvery cloak and headed out into a cruel, unforgiving world.

Raith sat on the steps to the Traveller's Walk, awaiting his companion. She wasn't late, no. But that did little to discourage his impatience. The Exo tapped his arm, bringing up his HUD. "Almost time," he said to himself. 'If she does not arrive soon, I may have to leave without her.'

"Aw, don't be so impatient." Katie said as she approached. "People might think you have performance issues." The Warlock was decked out in New Monarchy gear, with a flared bird helmet and a Tlaloc on her back. Across her armor, streaks of yellow light glowed bright, contrasting her black, white and red Shader. "You don't want to leave a girl unsatisfied now, do you?"

Raith glowered at her. "I must ask that you take things seriously, Katie. I don't have time for your pillow talk." The veteran Hunter pressed a part of his HUD. "Especially with our target," he added as a 3D hologram formed before them. It looked like a Hive Knight, but with vivid red veins all over his body. In his hand he held a crystalline axe.

"This is Urok, Keeper of the Jewels. From what we know, it's his job to seek out worthy Hive warriors and elevate them into Exalted Hive. His blade has snuffed out the Light of countless Guardians."

After a moment, Raith tapped his HUD once more, and the target dropped out of sight. "If you have any questions, comments or concerns, I suggest you voice them now."

"Should I go for the jewels in his _head_ , of will his _family_ jewels work just fine?" Raith gave her a heavy look, perfectly expressing his feelings about her question. "Alright, alright. I'll take this seriously. Aim for the eyes, avoid the axe, and use the rocket launcher when I can."

"Thank you." He replied. "But try and save some rockets for his entourage. They're going to be among the strongest the Hive have, waiting for a chance like this. Killing two stupid Guardians is exactly the kind of fight they need to prove themselves to Urok."

"No problem. Hope those 'Exalted' idiots like Solar."

Raith paused to consider this. "Actually, I would imagine Solar would be more effective against the Exalted. From what I gather, they hold the same approximate ranks as the Swarm Princes, so any challenge they pose can easily be remedied with some Solar weaponry. For now, however, we need to head towards Urok's ritual chambers. He should be in there soon to elevating a Hive warrior." He glanced over her form. "I see you're well prepared. Do you need anything before we leave?"

Katie waved her hand dismissively. "I've got plenty of stuff I can use to kick their asses with." She tapped her arm, summoning her ship. "Race ya to the moon," she challenged as her body disappeared in a flash of light.

The Hunter shook his head before following suit, and the two of them dashed off into the dark beyond the Earth.

* * *

' _Bang_ '.

' _Bang_ '.

' _BangBangBangBangBangBang_ '.

Katie unloaded an entire clip into an Ogre's face, the eyes exploding into a mess of gore and pus. It dropped down, burning away into ash. To her left, Raith was backpedalling as Thralls closed in on him, firing quick bursts of his rifle that shredded them. Katie turned and tossed a Solar Fusion grenade at a group of Acolytes, pulling out her Susanoo and shooting down a screaming Wizard.

"I thought you said that this was his hidey hole." She complained to Raith, ducking behind cover and tossing another Fusion grenade overhead. "You specifically told me that this cavern was where he does his judging stuff from."

"It is. I'm not completely certain why he's not here, but I do have a theory." Raith answered. "You've heard the rumours about Oryx's Warpriest, right?"

"Never faced him, but I've heard a couple stories about him." Understanding dawned on her. "Oh, I get it. We probably need to prove our own strength to get him to finally show up."

"If that's the case, we had better hurry and dispose of this group, before we waste too much ammo." There were three loud bangs, followed by a trio of explosions. Raith likely used his Golden Gun to clear the battlefield.

Katie drew the Vertigo, a Suros Rocket Launcher gifted to her by her friend Ti'ana. "Say hello to my newest boytoy," she said to herself, climbing over the rock she was hiding behind.

Raith slipped his hand back around his Auto Rifle, the warmth of the Golden Gun still lingering on his hands. "Shayde, any updates on Urok's energy signature?"

A violet Ghost shimmered into being near the Guardian. "Nothing yet, but I think the incoming enemies are getting stronger. Keep it up!"

The Exo rolled forward, throwing a knife at a nearby Acolyte. "Katie," he called out, "Ghosts says we may be nearing the higher-ups. Be wary."

"Roger ," the Warlock replied as she sent a rocket barreling into a group of quickly approaching Thrall. There were just a few more Knights near her, the rest of the Hive armada running towards a massive doorway on the far side of the room. After a few seconds with Tlaloc, there wasn't anything coming her way. She looked around. "…Is that it?"

Her companion glanced up from the Thrall beneath his feet. "Doubtful. We must have triggered a new phase of enemies." He blinked. "'Gassur, Heir of Ascendance'? Is that a side target?"

Suddenly, the cavern itself began shaking as a voice bellowed from the massive doors. "INTRUDERS! YOU HAVE DESTROYED THE HEIR AND DESECRATED THIS CHAMBER! NOW YOU MUST SATISFY THE SWORD LOGIC AND FACE ME!"

Slowly, the rumbles grew louder, and Katie swore she could feel parts of her body rattling loose from the vibrations. Then, in a final earth-moving boom, a gigantic set of doors opened, revealing Urok, standing well over six stories high.

"Should we point out that by Sword Logic, Gassur wasn't worthy of living?" Katie asked as she ran away from the charging Knight, firing a rocket straight for him. The blast made him stumble, but then he swung his axe at her. The ground cracked where he struck, and a molten crack spread beneath her. She rolled away, firing her last rocket and then switching to Tlaloc.

"Somehow I don't think he'll appreciate us using his own insane logic against him." Raith replied, firing with his Rifle. Luckily for Katie, Raith's assault gained Urok's attention. Changing targets, he started chasing down the Hunter. Raith tossed a Tripmine at the path, smirking as Urok blindly stepped into it. As he stumbled from the grenade, Raith fired his own rockets at his body. Katie jumped on top of Urok, grabbing onto one horn and glowing with Solar energy. She hit him with grenade after grenade, until the giant Knight fell over in a slight stupor.

Raith pulled out Invective, charging for the head as well.

As Katie's grenades forced Urok lower and lower, the light emanating from his face dimming by degrees. By the time Raith reached his target, he could see that unlike others of his kind, Urok had three oversized rubies in place of eyes. Raith came to a halt in front of his face, then fired point blank into his middle eye with Invective. Urok howled in agony and rage, trying to dislodge the Warlock atop his cranium. Not to be deterred, Katie held fast, slamming grenade after grenade into the Hive's skull. Adding insult to injury, Raith began assaulting all three eyes with everything he had. The Hunter jumped back and fired his last rocket right in the center of Urok's eyes. The Knight bellowed his pain, then struggled to climb to his feet.

"Katie!" Raith yelled up. "Jump now!"

The Warlock, her Super now spent, vaulted off Urok as the Hive Lord grabbed at where she had been mere moments ago. He turned in a circle, seeing the Guardian drifting to the floor behind him. He swung his axe, scoring a blow against her, tossing her like a ragdoll into the far wall.

"Shit! Katie!" Raith holstered his rifle and sprinted over to his partner.

"Ugh. Ow." Katie groaned, rolling onto her side. "Really shouldn't have skimped out on the armour." They both looked up to see Urok approaching, his body glowing brighter. Flames erupted from cracks in his chitin, and his axe was completely on fire. "I don't think we'll be pulling the same trick twice."

"Then we'll just have to do this the old fashioned way." Raith replied. "Pumping him full of lead till he drops. He pointed his Auto Rifle and opened fire, Urok's large size allowing him to go full bullet hose. Urok roared and charged towards them, axe raised high. Katie ran off to a different spot, while Raith dodged the giant Hive... and Urok just kept running until he slammed into a wall.

"...Did you just see that?" Katie asked over the comms.

"I did." They watched as Urok shook his head, before turning around and looking at the cavern. He roared again and slammed his axe down, fire spewing from the cut. As the flames billowed around him, Raith saw that his three eyes were cracked, and one was leaking a red liquid.

Curious, Raith stepped out from behind his cover, in full view of the giant. But instead of attacking, Urok kept searching the room.

Of course. They managed to blind him when they last attacked. Now all he had to work with was his sense of smell... and the bullets pinging off his skin.

"Katie, I think I have a plan to survive this. We just need to find a big enough statue." He said, an idea forming in his head.

The Warlock spun in a circle, seeing an imposing carving of a winged Hive Lord. "How about that fellow over there?" She pointed.

Raith nodded. "Perfect Wait here, and be ready to revive me if this goes south. Synch?"

Katie recalled that "sync" was a way for Guardians to relay orders and make sure their group understood them. "Synched," she replied. The Exo veteran ran across the room to the statue, grabbing some Heavy Ammo along the way. When he reached the base of the statue, Raith spun around, Rocket Launcher at the ready. 'Two shots,' he thought to himself. 'More than enough.'

Urok traced a large oval around the center of the room. A bit of timing, and… NOW! The rocket sped off, making contact on Urok's shoulder. The massive Knight stumbled, then turned to Raith and charged. The Guardian rolled out of the way, leaving absolutely nothing between Urok and the statue.

The collision was spectacular. Shards of the statue broke off and dug into the Hive, making him double over in acute pain. The horns on his head slammed into the stone midriff, covering it in cracks. Still not thinking straight, Urok swung his axe at whatever hit him, slicing off a massive stone sword, which dropped down and into a chink in the chitin, impaling him through and through. The Hive Lord howled in agony, dropping to his knees in defeat.

Raith looked the situation over with a critical eye before launching his final rocket at the statue. The structure tumbled to the ground in large pieces, pinning Urok in a dozen places. As his target's moans of pain lessened in bolum, Raith walked over to one of the sword racks lining the room and drew two of the blades.

He tossed one to Katie. "Go for the throat," he instructed.

"Seems a bit overkill, but whatever," the Warlock shrugged as the two of them walked over to Urok and, in two simultaneous slices, put an end to his infamy.

"Taken out by your own Hive crap. That's Human irony, bitch." Katie shouted at Urok's corpse. She picked up a nearby purple engram, tossing it in her hand. "You know, Ti'ana and Bianca are always asking me where the Hive keep the engrams on their bodies. Do you think they've got big pockets, or do they just eat them?"

Raith sheathed his rocket launcher, pulling out his Auto Rifle and reloading it. "Does it matter? Maybe they're remnants of the Guardians they've killed, maybe they're loot from Golden Age ruins. All that matters is that we exterminate them and reap the rewards. More important than that, though, the Hive just lost the only one able to promote their troops, along with a majority of their soldiers."

Katie sidled up near him. "You're right. This calls for a celebration." She drew ever closer. "For instance, we could 'celebrate' in my quarters. I really feel like celebrating this. All. Night. Long."

Raith checked his HUD. "Well, it doesn't look like I have anything planned tonight. And I _did_ give you my word that I'd entertain your offer." The Hunter looked over the battlefield. "...And admittedly, I suppose I owe you for your aid with Urok." Reaching an internal decision, Raith drew himself up. "Very well. As a show of gratitude for your aid, I will take the evening off, and instead spend it however you wish."

"Aww, Raith. I had no idea you were so romantic., Katie smirked. "Tell you what, how 'bout you swing by my place around… eight?"

"That sounds… reasonable," Raith conceded.

"Great. And if you feel lonely before then, I'll be out with Fireteam Tramon. See you then," The Warlock added as she returned to her ship.

Now alone, Raith contemplated his newfound partner. A good fighter, to be able to take on a foe such as Urok. The use of her Super certainly spoke volumes of her character. Quick-witted, original, and undeniably clever, if not a bit hedonistic.

"So why does it feel as though she'll be the death of me?" He asked the world in general.

 **Song: You're Gonna Go Far Kid**

 **Artist: The Offspring**

 **Album: Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace**

* * *

 **And that. Is That. Took a bleedin' eternity, but it's done.**


	7. Did You Come To Make It Right?

**So, uh, that promise about not forcing anyone to wait extended periods of time for an update?**

 **Yeah, this is why I don't make promises.**

 **But I have big news: I have now been an author on this site for over a year! To commemorate this benchmark, I have two things. First, I'm going to be re-writing FIRE Away, my first real Fanfiction. This is part of the reason behind the delay.**

 **However, I believe my second item is far more interesting: I have scattered several references and quotes to games, movies and so on, throughout my chapters. If you find one, PM me with the reference along with where it came from. If you get it right, you get a wish regarding the story (within reason). Want me to feature your own Guardian? Done. Have Raith go on a unique mission? No problem. Want an mini-story that you wrote the plot of? My pleasure. I only ask that each reference gets one use, and that no one does it more than once. Unless I really like the proposition, of course.**

 **Moving on, I am proud to say that I am now working on several new projects, including an M-rated story for Destiny. We can always use more of those. But that comes later. For now, please enjoy my longest chapter yet on this site.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Destiny. If it were otherwise, last-gen consoles would have access to Rise of Iron.**

* * *

 **Chapter 7:** Did You Come To Make It Right? (Did You Come To Say Goodbye?)

"Guardian. I trust your mission went well."

"Affirmative, Tower Control. Is the landing pad available?"

"It is now. Come on in."

Raith clicked off the comms and guided the _Phoenix_ down to the Tower Hangar and hopped out of the cockpit. "Hangar Control, I'm going to need a mechanic." Raith ran his gloved hand along the surface of his ship. He honestly should have been prepared for Hive Tomb ships waiting for him on the moon. _Especially_ after he killed Urok. It-the _Ashen Phoenix_ was supposedly a _she_ , but that had never really felt right to him-had proven yet again to be a superior vessel, but not even its unique shield system was enough to escape the Hive unscarred.

Raith traced a wide gash along the bow of the _Phoenix_.

"This won't do," he murmured to himself. "It needs to be at its best before I head out again." He grabbed a soldering iron from a nearby workbench and looked for a sheet of plasteel to help patch it up.

"Hey Guardian. Looking for something?" The Exo turned to see a young woman leaning on the wall behind him. Like many Tower citizens, she wore a pair of overalls, shirt and gloves. However, unlike most Tower denziens, she wasn't wearing the hat, revealing her red hair and emerald eyes.

"You the mechanic?"

The woman scoffed. "'Am I the mechanic,' he asks. I'm not just some mechanic, that's Holliday's job. I'm every professional needed in the Tower. Mechanic, yes, but also medic, errand girl, messenger, and engineer. Hell, I can't think of a single job around here that I _don't_ do." She pushed off the wall and held out her hand. "But in answer to your question, I am indeed a mechanic. Name's Charlie."

Raith shook her hand. "Raith-7, Guardian."

"I figured as much. Hunter, right?" Raith nodded. "Nice to meet you, Sev."

The Exo tilted his head. "...Sev?"

"Yeah, like 'seven'. Raith sounds like something you'd call a spirit or ghost or something." She looked over the _Phoenix_. "Never seen this model before. Looks sort of like a Phaeton, but… not."

"You aren't wrong. This is an experimental jumpship based on the Phaeton and _Laughing Behind Your Back_ model ships. It has less armor, but improved shielding."

"Uh-huh. And guns from a Fallen ship?"

"This one does. It's called the _Ashen Phoenix_."

"She." Charlie wiped away a spot of soot on the jumpship's gatling gun. "Not it."

"Does it matter what pronoun I use to refer to my ship? Jumpships weren't made to have genders."

"Neither were you," Charlie pointed out.

Raith bit his metaphorical tongue. "... _Her_ name is _Ashen Phoenix_."

"That's not a bad name. A bit weird, but most ship names usually are." She lowered herself onto a rolling board and slid under the ship. "So tell me about yourself," she called from the undercarriage.

"What is there to tell?" Raith scanned the ship, taking note of all the damage it had sustained. "I am an Exo working as a Guardian on behalf of the Last City. My ship was ambushed by Hive, and I need it repaired before I have to leave again." He started removing damaged panels from the _Phoenix_.

"Yeah, I figured that much out myself. Ratchet." She slid out from under the ship, already covered in grease. Raith saw the tool in question and handed it to her. She set back to work. "But what about you, specifically? Do you like what you do?"

"I do the job in front of me. Nothing more, nothing less." The mark on the gatling gun must have come from a plasma ball. It was completely burnt and covered in soot. Raith grabbed a steel wool scrubber.

"Jiminy Christmas, you're boring." Charlie twisted the ratchet a few times. "Alright, easier question. What's it like outside the Wall?"

"It has no shortage of enemies, but that's probably not what you meant."

"Yeeeeaaaah, no."

"Well, most places are just… empty. They seem, well, hollow. Like a ghost town."

Another crank. "Is that all?"

"I don't really know. The only times I actively study my surroundings is when I'm looking for something."

Charlie sighed. "Fair enough. Soldering iron." Raith slid the tool beside her. "Thank you." A pregnant silence passed between them. "...Can I ask you a question, Guardian?"

"You can." Gatling guns, check. Lasers, check. Fallen armaments, check. Now to check the engines.

"What does dying feel like?"

The Exo froze. "Excuse me?"

"Dying. What does it feel like? Does it hurt?"

"...It...depends on who it is that's dying, I suppose. A Warlock Order, the Thanatonauts, claim that every death brings them closer to perfect knowledge, and thus find joy in it." Raith sighed. "For everyone else, however, dying is… hellish. Sometimes, you can feel every piece of your soul getting ripped from your body, and then… nothingness. At times, even a momentary death can last a lifetime." He shook his head. "From what I understand, only a few Guardians experience death like that. In fact, a lot of them say it's like falling asleep." He turned to see Charlie staring at him. Raith had honestly expected the woman to be horrified at his description, but she instead looked… sad? Somber? Empathetic?

"Are you alright, Sev?"

"Just fine." Raith looked over the _Ashen Phoenix_. "I'll leave the rest to you, then." He paused. "And for the second time, my name is Raith."

"Oh, well, if we're re-introducing ourselves, my real name's Carol. Carol Chaplin."

"Chaplin?" Raith paused. "Have I heard that name before?"

"I should think so. It's the name given to orphans adopted into the Tower."

"I… see. I imagine that must have been challenging."

Charlie- Carol - shrugged. "It wasn't all that bad. I was raised by people in the Tower. In fact, it was Cayde who first took me in. And growing up, Ikora was a better teacher than any school I can imagine. Rahool told me all about the Golden Age, Banshee taught me how to use my hands, and Zavala… well, Zavala never did much. He was kind of like an uncle, really." She chuckled at her fond memories. "He's really a big softie, under all that armor. After I turned sixteen, he started telling me stories about the Guardians and their legends. Since then, I couldn't help but wonder what life as a Guardian would be like." The young woman shook her head. "Sorry, I have no idea why I told you all that. Guess you're just friendly."

"I… doubt that's it."

"I guess. Still, you're pretty easy to talk to."

"Right." Raith glanced at his ship. "So how soon will i- will _she_ be combat ready?"

"The _Phoenix_? About half a day, tops."

Raith nodded. "Very well. Thank you for your time, Carol." With that, the Hunter bowed and entered a nearby elevator.

Carol shrugged and returned to work. That was the Hunter Cayde was so fond of? He wasn't anything like she imagined.

* * *

Raith checked the holographic clock on his wrist. Six hours until his… evening with Katie.

Oh, joy.

Nevertheless, that left him with more than enough time to take care of some unfinished business. The elevator beeped and opened to endless hallways of glowing shelves. The Archives, they were called. Few Guardians came down here, and fewer still actually did anything when they arrived. After all, why read some obsolete file when there were endless waves of enemies yet to be slain?

The Exo walked between two rows of azure shelves, marked periodically by holographic displays. Of course, what he was looking for wouldn't be stored under any of the public sections; these were just the Declassifieds.

"Shayde."

His Ghost appeared in front of him, the lights of the Archives reflecting on his white shell.

"What is it, old chap?"

"Direct me to the Vanguard-restricted area."

"Sure thing." Reggie's shell expanded, scanning the area. "Take your next right, and follow your no... " The Ghost slowly realized that the old Earth phrase was inapplicable to Exos. "It'll be right in front of you."

Raith put his companion away and started walking. His footsteps echoed through the empty corridors, answered only by the occasional hums and whirs of the Archive.

After a few moments of walking, the Exo found himself standing before a locked door with a microphone installed by the handle. Above it was a small screen displaying a command.

 _Please state your name, rank, and personal identification code._

"Raith-7. Guardian. ID 43122," the Hunter recited.

 _Identification accepted. Please enter Vanguard clearance code._

Raith thought for a second. "1350980022."

 _Processing. Please wait…_

The monitor dinged.

 _Clearance code verified. Welcome, Guardian Raith-7._

The door slowly rose to reveal a round arena-like room. Its walls were covered in a myriad of glowing shapes, sorted by race and Class. The Guardian Profiles.

Raith gravitated to the Exo section and searched for his name amongst his fellow Guardians.

"Saint-14… Jackson-5… Unit 7907636… Nilanna-26… Raith-7." He reached out and grabbed the file marked with his name. It slid away to reveal eight glowing dodecahedrons, labeled 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. The Exo cautiously held his hand over 0, and was immediately bombarded with visions of Ryan Harlin.

He pulled his hand back. "Ghost." Shayde reappeared. "What just happened?"

"From what I remember about these, they're like regular Grimoire Cards, but if you use one of your own, they can also reactivate memories. With the Traveller nonresponsive though, I don't really have a definite answer."

Raith nodded and reached for 1.

 _A newly-born Exo, given a new name with his new life. He is being told that after his death, his body re-formed under the Traveller. He is afraid, so very afraid._

Again, the Hunter drew his hand back. Raith-1, then. That must have been where his vision in th 10 came from.

He moved on to what must have been Raith-2, this time placing a single finger on its surface.

 _It is the dawn of a new age for humanity. A time of miracles. A Golden Age. And Raith is there to see it all with inexhaustible positivity._

So that was Raith-2's world. The Golden Age. Did that mean Raith-3 lived through the Collapse? He put his whole hand on the next dodecahedron, determined to find out.

 _April Harlin is dead. She passed on peacefully and silently in her sleep. In her memory, Raith has dedicated his life to getting all he can out of the Golden Age. And much like the world itself, Raith is constantly growing evolving._

Odd. Not entirely unexpected in hindsight, but odd. From what Raith understood, his third iteration was a… what was the term? Social butterfly. And… did he see an Ahamkara?

Raith hesitantly picked up number 4.

* * *

 _I am at the front lines of the Expansion. We just set up the last of the Helium Collectors for the particle accelerator. It truly is marvellous how far we've come-_

 _My friends have been shot down by an unknown ship. But they were colonists, of no harm to anyone. Now these so-called 'Fallen' are threatening everything we've worked so hard to create. There's only one thing left to do._

* * *

Haith hastily replaced the glowing object. He had his answer, that much was obvious. The Collapse had happened during Raith-4's time. Question was, how did his predecessor react? The Hunter wrapped both hands around 5 and held it to the light.

* * *

 _I lay my rifle on a windowsill and scan the Venusian environment. Orders said that we should attack from as far away as possible, so I get to use my favorite Sniper. While most of the task force has high-tech pieces of complex machinery, I feel the Landless outshines them all. Sure, it looks like an antique, but it's the best damn rifle I've ever held. Has the longest range, too._

" _Sir," I report. "Sector 7 is as silent as the grave. No detectable movement. Over."_

" _Acknowledged. Move up, but remember to stay quiet. We can't let the Fallen know we're he-" A gurgle cuts off his orders. I turn to see Fallen pouring into the hallway. I snap my rifle to face them and fire a round at eye level, dropping several of them._

 _I open a public broadcast to the rest of the task force and yell out a single word._

" _Contact!"_

* * *

Raith replaced the container reverently. A soldier, then. That particular file explained a lot. Why he hated Fallen. Why he never liked using the City's Sniper Rifles. And also the origins of a… particular item in his Vault.

One secret left. The Hunter picked up 6 and, seeing an irregularity, pushed down on one of its faces. It hissed and slid open to reveal-

* * *

"Captain, I've established a perimeter. If any Devils come within 300 yards of us, we'll know."

My CO sighs and looks out into the distance. I take my customary spot beside her. "Captain?"

She turns to face me. Her helmet is off, showcasing her youthful features and tattooed bottom lip. "Do you think it's out there, Raith?"

I sit on the grass next to her. "The Sanctuary, you mean?"

She nods, pulling her blue hood down and shaking her jet-black hair loose. "Seems naive, now that I think about it. I mean, a thriving metropolis under the Light of the Traveler, where the Darkness is nothing more than a bad memory? How can we even _hope_ of reaching that far when we can barely get a handful of pilgrims to safety?"

"Captain, we must have faith. You most of all." I put my hand on her shoulder. "Your troops look to you for guidance. For leadership. And it is because of you we've saved so many."

The captain shudders. "So many lives depend on me, Raith. But I'm just one woman. They shouldn't be putting so much of their trust into someone like me. I'm not some wall the Darkness breaks against."

I pull her closer. "You're right. You're human. But you are so much more than that. You are Ayane Takanome, daughter of Keiji Takanome and granddaughter of Hiro Takanome. For three generations your family has aided and even brightened the Traveler. Under your watch, the Takanome Rangers have guided hundreds if not thousands of of hope-deprived refugees to the safety of the Traveler. I know you the same way I knew your father, and his father before him. They were both great men in their own right, but you undoubtedly outshine both of them."

Ayane stares at the ground for a moment, two moments. "Thank you, Raith. I think I needed that."

I salute. "I'm a Ranger. That means it's my duty to help you in any way I can."

The captain nods and slips her helmet back over her head. "Well said." She pulls her hood up. "Come on, let's check on your colleagues."

* * *

"Captain. We may have a problem." Ayane glances over her shoulder to see a Ranger approaching. "One of the scouts wants to talk to you. He says there's some sort of storm in blocking our path, like a wall or something." He tosses Takanome a radio.

She catches it and flicks it on. "Ranger, this is Captain Ayane Takanome. Do you copy?"

A heavily accented voice replies through the static. "Sure do, Cap. Loud an' clear."

"You say you encountered some kind of storm barrier?"

"That I did, Cap. It looks to be at least as big as tha Travla, maybe bigger. I don't see no gaps in't neither."

Takanome pauses for a moment, probably considering her options. "What is your name, Ranger?"

"Galley, Captain."

"Galley. I want you to take one of the repurposed Shanks and send it into the storm."

"Ya sure about that, Captain? We only have a handful to spare."

"Guiding the pilgrims to the Traveller is more important than the loss of a drone. Let me know if anything comes up." She hands the Ranger his radio back. "Keep this turned on. We need to know if there's a way to reach the Traveler safely."

"Of course, Captain. Also, you should know that Fria slipped away. Again."

"Dammit. Where was he last seen?"

"I last saw him outside that swamp to the north."

"Thanks. Come on, Raith." Ayane grabs my arm and pulls me along. "So, do you think he'll say anything helpful this time?"

"Who, Fria?" I shrug. "He usually does. Figuring it out is the hard part, especially with all the nonsense he spouts."

The captain chuckles as we reach a crooked, rotting tree. Underneath its twisted branches sits Fria, a smooth silver Exo dressed in loose cotton robes. From the look of it, he seems to be meditating.

I kneel in front of my fellow robot. "Fria. I trust you are well?"  
He opens his eyes, and I get the chilling sensation that he's staring right through me.

Fria smiles. "We did it, men! We're made it through the Stormwall!"

"Stormwall," Ayane repeats. "Is that the name of that storm barrier?"

"The City… it looks so beautiful…" Fria's voice quivers.

"Hold on, a city? Is it like the Sanctuary?" I grasp at straws.

The Exo takes on a strange tone. "Consider only victory. Make defeat an impossibility in your mind."

I smack the ground in frustration. "Dammit, Fria, can you try to make sense for two seconds?!"

Ayane lays a hand on my shoulder. "It's not his fault, Raith. Remember, the Vex did this to him."

"Vex. Goblin. Hob. Harp. Taurus. Vault of Glass. Mercury. Poor Praedyth. Poor, poor Praedyth," Fria babbles.

"Hold on, did he just react to the present?" I glance at the captain.

Fria shifts his gaze between us. "Raith-6. Ayane Takanome. One of you will be forgotten. The other will be wrong." He stares at Ayane. "Your mother is waiting for you beyond the storm." To me. "The price of eternal life is death."

I sigh. "Cryptic as ever." I hold out my hand. "Still, I'd say it's time we headed home."

"Home? No home. Not anymore. Teeth come, come for blood. Duck."

I step back. "What?"

"Duck."

Ayane and I drop in unison as an unfortunately familiar sound rings through the air. Fallen Sniper. We dive behind Fria's tree and draw our own rifles. "That was a Wire Rifle!" The captain has Fria secured by her side.

"I thought you set up a perimeter," she yells.

"I did!" I take a brief peek around the trunk, but see nothing. "Where are they?" I pause. "Hold on a second…" I tap the side of my helmet, turning on my thermal imaging. Three signatures on the far side of the hill. "Captain, switch to thermal camera," I call out.

"What the hell? Where did they come from?"

I narrowly dodge a glowing blue beam. "I've heard of these Fallen. They're called the Silent Fang. They're assassins for hire." I lean out of cover and fire a high-impact shot into the leftmost Fang.

"So that's how they breached the perimeter," Takanome notes. A shot from her custom picks off the center target. "One shot, one kill," she smirks.

One last shot from my Landless and the threat is neutralized. "This area isn't secure anymore. We need to get a move on. Fria, you said we can pass through the storm?"

"The Stormwall shall not harm us," the Exo replies.

"Good enough." The captain starts broadcasting on the Rangers' secure channel. "To all Takanome Rangers, we have multiple Fallen hostiles with stealth capabilities. Turn on thermal imaging and blaze a path to the storm. Tell the pilgrims to take only what they need." She grabs Fria and sprints back to camp while I bring up the rear. Somehow, we make it back unscathed.

"Takanome," one of the Rangers calls. "We're just about ready to move out, but the refugees need more time."

"Then let's give them some time. Raith, see if your drones can be rigged to detect the Fang. I'll divide the Rangers up to guard the pilgrims," she orders before departing.

I salute. "Aye aye, Captain." I draw out a patchwork transmitter and set to work. Since my drones are technically Fallen tech, they should have some way of sensing the Silent Fang. The hard part is finding it.

A shot misses me by a foot. I drop onto my stomach and crawl behind cover. "Captain, the Fang's here. I repeat, the Silent Fang is here!"

"Dammit! Snipers, shoot to kill! Do NOT let them reach the pilgrims!"

The camp erupts with sniper rounds. All around me, Fallen soldiers hit the ground, most with nothing above their necks. I flick through the settings on my device until I find a option titled "Thermal Imaging/Targeting". I turn it on and stow the remote away.

Within moments the surrounding area is filled with Fallen dropping like flies as they're fired upon by the repurposed Shanks.

"Whatever you did, it's working," Ayane comments.

"Captain, it looks like Raith's drones are keeping the Fallen away," another Ranger reports.

"This is our chance. All units, get the pilgrims into the storm. Stay behind them, make sure nothing follows us."

I withdraw my Landless and take aim. No hostiles. "Raith reporting in. No visible Fallen here. Have the pilgrims come my way to minimize casualties."

"Roger that. All units, guide the pilgrims my way."

As the seconds tick by, I can see a massive group pass by me towards the Stormwall. So far, so good.

Without warning, three of my drones disappear. I glance at my remote. "Captain, you'd better hurry. Something just took out three Shanks."

"Copy that. Double time, everyone!"

I aim down my sights and start picking off Fallen from other sectors. They're far off, but there's a lot of them. And… they're not moving like assassins. They're… charging.

Oh no.

"Captain, _run_! The Devils are here in full force! There's got to be at least a hundred! They're all coming for us!" I start firing and reloading as fast as inhumanly possible, trying to at least slow the coming Fallen.

"We're at the Stormwall," Ayane reports. "Get over here ASAP!"

I slip my rifle on my back and sprint towards my comrades, quickly joined by Ayane.

"How long do we have," she asks.

"At best, five minutes," I respond.

"Shit," she curses. We push through the gathered pilgrims until we reach the front of the crowd, and the Stormwall.

I turn on my radio. "Fria, are you absolutely sure this thing is safe?"

To my right, a familiar Exo walks right into the storm.

"Guess that's a yes. Raith, I need you to-" Ayane's orders are cut off as a single Fallen rifle sounds. She looks down to see a growing red spot on her armor. I grab her as she stumbles.

"Dammit! Ayane! Are you- are…" I sputter uselessly, while around me, pilgrims are ushered into the storm by the Rangers. As the stain grows, I wrench off my helmet and desperately try to wrap my cloak around my CO's wound. I rip off her helmet and see blood spilling from between her lips.

Ayane looks into my mechanical eyes. "R-Raith…" She reaches towards my head. "You've got to… save them. Save… the pilgrims."

I hold her hand. "Of course, Ayane. They'll reach the Traveller, I promise."

"Thank… you." She gasps. "F-funny, isn't it? You he-held me like this wh-when I was born. And now…"

I pull her closer. "No, don't think like that, Ayane. We can pull through this. You'll see."

I feel drops of liquid, be it blood or tears I know not, drip onto my shoulder. "Raith, wh-when you get to the City… find my mother. Tell her… tell her I… " Ayane coughs violently. "T-tell… "

I hush her gently. "Don't worry. I'll tell her."

"Thank you… Ryan."

My eyes snap open as the closest thing I have to a daughter exhales her final breath and dies in my arms.

"A-Ayane?" I hold her body in front of my eyes. She stares lifelessly forward, her bloody tears already drying on her face.

"Ayane… I'm sorry… " I run a gloved hand down her face, drawing her eyes closed. "I am so very sorry." If I were a human, I'd doubtlessly be crying right now. Instead, I close my eyes and touch my forehead to hers in solemn silence.

"Bastards," I eventually utter. I gently lower my former CO to the earth. My eyes, now aflame with rage, turn to the approaching Fallen ranks. "You utter BASTARDS!" I charge at the damnable Fallen, Holding my Landless in one hand and my field knife in the other.

"YOU BASTARDS! YOU KILLED HER! YOU KILLED AYANE!" I stop seeing clearly. All I can see is red. Red like her blood, like the ichor gushing out of the lifeless Devils all around me. Nothing matters anymore, except exacting my revenge on the Godforsaken Fallen.

I don't know when it happens, but I start feeling… poetic about my vendetta.

A knife in the throat, an enemy burned.

A bullet in the chest, a favor returned.

A bone breaking punch, a vengeance churned.

Time grows meaningless. Space, too. Nothing matters anymore. Not even my life.

A stray round fries my arm, rendering it useless, I use my shoulder joint to drive the still-gripped knife into an enemy's throat. A Devil Captain tears my chest open, I cave his skull in with a headbutt. A Vandal stabs my leg, I blow his head off with a point-blank sniper round.

Deep within the coding in my head, something shorts out. A glowing red message obstructs my vision. ERROR. SYSTEM OVERLOAD DETECTED. INITIATING EMERGENCY REBOOT…

My knees buckle and I drop to the ground. The Fallen swarm around me. The world goes dark. Fria's words echo in my mind.

 _The price of eternal life is death_. Well, if that's the case, this is the last time I'll have to worry about dying.

"Ayane…" I croak. "I'm sorry…"

A Captain's blade impales my skull, and the world goes dark.

* * *

Raith hit the ground, dropping the held dodecahedron. It bounced away, spilling out a silvery object and a small rectangle.

How long he stayed like that, he had no idea. A minute, an hour, a lifetime, it made no difference. Finally, the Exo reached forward and grabbed the item that dropped onto the ground.

"A… dog tag?" He held the dust-covered trinket, wiping it with his mechanical thumb to reveal his old name.

 _-6_

 _Raith_

 _135-098-0022_

 _N/A_

 _Exo_

Raith held it close, his mind backtracking to his new memories of his former life. He rubbed the second tag, revealing it to not be his.

 _Takanome_

 _Ayane_

 _480-548-3973_

 _AB Positive_

 _Human_

The Exo picked up the fallen rectangle. Unlike the tags, it looked new. It had his face on one side, and a description on the other. A Grimoire Card, then? The Hunter gently put it back in its container, and put the container on its shelf. Then, as an afterthought, he slipped his old dog tags around his neck in reverence and left.

* * *

Raith stepped out of of the elevator and let out a sigh. After so long, the answer actually seemed simpler than he imagined. He walked over to the Vault and checked the Armor. Takanome Ranger, just as he remembered. The muted aqua plating, the long camouflage Cloak... it was all too familiar to him. And there, his old Sniper Rifle. The Tower had made a newer, stronger version of it called No Land Beyond. It was the only Sniper he would ever let himself use. In memory of her. Of... Ayane. The woman that had been like a sister he had never known, a daughter he had never had.

He would honor her memory, that he swore. The Devils would taste hell for their crimes. They would-

"Just couldn't wait for me, could you?"

The Hunter turned to see, once again, Katie standing before him. Standing near her were two more Guardians; an Awoken Titan and a human Hunter, both women. Fireteam Tramon, perhaps?

Katie nodded to her team. "Ti'ana. Bianca. I'll be taking the rest of the night off. And possibly most of the morning."

The Hunter, probably Bianca, pinched the bridge of her nose. "Traveller, Katie. Was a little warning too much to ask?" She shook her head. "Fine. We'll go find Fireteam Conman. C'mon Ti'ana."

The Titan followed her companion away from the Vault, giving Raith a knowing wink.

The Warlock turned back to her partner. "Luckily for you, I already got my room ready for you. This way," she smirked, pulling the Hunter by the arm.

Shayde appeared beside his Guardian. "Raith. Hate to interrupt, but that missy from the European Dead Zone wants ta talk."

"Tell her-"

"Say he's busy," Katie interjected. "Take us home Dinkle!"

For a split second, Raith was surrounded by pale blue blinked, and suddenly found himself in an apartment thrice the size of his. His fellow Exo shoved him onto a chair.

"Now you stay put," toned Katie. "I'll be right back." With that, the Warlock disappeared into the next room.

The Hunter took a moment to catch his metaphorical breath. Mere minutes ago he'd been finding out about his past. Now he was in an unfamiliar place, about to engage in an alien -and honestly frightening- activity with a woman he'd known for less than a week. And he was scared. Only... scared of what? Or Katie? Of his own inexperience? Of-

"Oh Raith!" Katie called, derailing his train of thought. "Come on in!"

"Err... actually, I need to-"

"The door's locked, by the way," his partner added in gleeful singsong.

Raith sighed. Very well, then. He opened the door and commenced what he would later deem the greatest night of his artificial life.

* * *

The world shook.

It shook again.

Then, because Exos were made of sterner stuff than humans, it shook another three times, followed by a vague half-shake that just served to provoke nausea.

Then it shook one last time, for old times' sake.

* * *

 _Sensory systems activating…_

 _System functionality restored._

Raith, despite everything he knew of Exo physiology, awoke to a headache.

 _System energy at 42% and dropping. Warning: severe traumatic damage to pelvic regions. Rerouting power from non-critical areas…_

 _Starting backup generator…_

The Exo sluggishly raised his hand. Strangely, it was coated in an odd silvery fluid. It looked to be dried, leaving only a sticky residue. Slowly, Raith pulled himself to a sitting position. Odd, the mystery fluid was all over his legs, too. And his abdomen.

Wait.

Why was he in a bed? And why did it have red sheets? And… was that music playing?

"Mmmm…"

Raith froze solid. Either recent stress on his hardware dislodged a coolant unit, or…

The Exo slowly looked down and to his side. Lying next to him, hand resting by his side, was Katie-8. She shifted her arm, resting her fingers on Raith's thigh.

Okay, no need to panic, just slide out of the bed…

BEEPBEEPBEEPBEEP!

Raith tripped over himself, falling halfway out of the bed onto the cold hard ground. The disheveled Hunter frantically tried to crawl away, but his legs were inescapably tangled with the sheets.

"Well good morning, sleeping beauty." Raith looked up and saw Katie smiling down at him from the bed. "I have to say, I'm surprised at how well you slept. Especially after I used Pinky."

Raith was thoroughly confused. "Pinky?"

In response, Katie held up a bright pink-

Raith looked away. _Nope._

"Don't you remember?"

The Hunter shut his eyes. _Nope nope nope._

"I thought you handled it better than most men."

 _Nopenopenopenope._

Katie giggled. "Yeah, I can tell you remember it. Pinky is hard to forget." She tossed the… instrument aside. "But I have to ask, was this your first time? Like, since becoming a Guardian?"

Raith averted his gaze. True, he was in another Guardian's apartment, tangled in their sheets after a night of debauchery, but he had to salvage what dignity he could. "...Maybe..."

The Exo femme fatale hopped off her bed and into her partner's lap. "Hey, you don't have to be embarrassed, Raith. I'm not going to judge you. Although…" she tapped her chin. "How long _has_ it been?"

The Hunter mumbled something under his breath.

Katie cupped a hand to her fin. "Sorry, what was that?"

"I think a century… maybe more."

"Traveller, Raith! That long?" She shook her head. "That does explain a thing or two…" The Warlock shrugged. "On another subject, what is it with your chest?"

The Exo hastily covered his exposed torso with Katie's sheets. "What about it?"

"After I tore your undershirt, you went a little… mad, I guess. In both senses of the word." Katie tugged aside the cloth covering her partner's chest. She ran a finger along an exposed streak of red. "Is it because of these stripes of yours?"

Raith flinched at the contact. "Don't touch them," he burst, yanking her hand away. He blinked. "Please."

Katie scooted away. "Sorry. I was just wondering what their meaning was."

The veteran Guardian sat silent for a minute. Two minutes. Finally, he spoke.

"You may or may not know, but we Hunters don't have orders like Titans or you Warlocks. We really prefer to fight alone, if there's no alternative. It's been like that forever." He sighed. "However, this mindset has gotten a lot of Hunters into dangerous situations. And sometimes, we… bite off more than we can chew. So if a Hunter loses an ally to the Darkness, we try to commemorate them in our own way. The most common method is to wear the cloak of your fallen comrade, and in doing so taking a vow to avenge them." He ran his own hand along one of the marks on his chest. "Another tradition is known as the Vermillion Stripe. Rather than take the cloaks of our former friends, we represent their life with three streaks of vermilion on our armor."

He gently rose to his feet. "However, I decided to put the marks on myself instead." He pointed to an almost faded trio of marks on his left wrist. "Brad the Warlock. Overwhelmed by Hive forces in the darkest of Luna's tunnels." He traced a similar set of stripes up his right leg. "Reese-14 the Titan. Gave his last full measure fending off the Cabal on Mars." An slightly angled marking across his waist. "Matt-21 the Warlock. Trapped forever in a Vex time loop." The largest of the stripes, running across his chest from his left shoulder. "Meg'rai the Titan. Met her end at the hands of a bloodthirsty Fallen Archon." Solemnly, he pointed a single finger at his red headplate. "Ayane Takanome the Ranger. Left this world guiding refugees to the safety of the Traveller."

Raith closed his eyes. "They were my companions one and all. But because of my mistakes, they are lost to this world. The least I can do is honor them." He looked at the scattered lines of vermilion. "I will not allow myself to forget their sacrifices." The Exo drew silent.

Katie spoke softly. "Is that why you work alone? So you don't have to worry about anyone else getting hurt?"

The Hunter nodded. "It is."

Katie touched Meg'rai's mark, making Raith visibly flinch. "You know, you don't have to hide these, Raith. Every Guardian has probably lost someone close to them. You don't have to do this alone."

Raith turned his back on the Warlock. "We all have our crosses we have to bear. This is mine."

"Traveller, I thought Bianca was melodramatic," Katie groaned.

Raith looked back at her. "Excuse me?"

"I mean, you seem like a good person, but do you really think that's smart? Running around on your own, keeping your feelings all corked up? And for what? So you can prove your toughness to your deceased partners?"

"N-no, it's not-"

"Not like that? Raith, it is _exactly_ like that. You're no different than any of the other 'dark and brooding' Guardians I've seen. You're too focused on the past to realize that you still have a future."

"That's hardly the poi-"

Katie's hand covered his mouth. "You listen here, Raith. I have a partner, Bianca. She's a great Hunter, and a good friend too. But she wasn't always such a paragon. Not long ago, she was a lot like how you are now. Always in the past, always chasing ghosts. For her, it was the Vex. So when we ran into them on Venus, Bianca went AWOL hunting them down. She was so focused on them that she abandoned her team and her mission. If it hadn't been for Ti'ana and I, we might have all been lost to the Darkness. All because she refused to let go of the past."

Raith sat on the bed. "Be that as it may, I'm not just going to forget my friends."

Katie shook her head. "I'm not saying you should. I'm saying that your past doesn't define who you are. It just gives you the starting point for who you're going to be. Besides, Guardians live for _far_ too long to be stuck in the past. So yes, remember your comrades, but you shouldn't let their sacrifices be in vain. If you keep going on like this, you may very well join them. Is any of this getting through to you?"

Raith sat in silence, neither speaking nor moving, until:

"I do." He met his partner's gaze. "I will think about what you said. But… why do you care?"

Katie snorted. "You're my partner, and my boy toy. It's my job to help you out in any way I can. Emotional _and_ physical."

The Hunter blinked. "You don't seem much like a-"

"Like a lady of the night?" She smirked. "I am so much more than that. You forget, I'm a Warlock. We're always condescendingly smart towards Hunters."

The Hunter in question nodded and grabbed his pants. "Neither of those seem to have anything to do with becoming the Tower Sparrow, though."

Katie pulled on her own pants. "Probably because I'm incomprehensibly hedonistic."

Raith gave her a blank stare. "...What?"

"I… tend to live in the moment," the Warlock amended.

Raith strapped on his boots. "That… explains a lot, actually."

Katie swung on her coat. "Doesn't it?" She searched for her misplaced Bond. "What about you, then?"

The Hunter paused, his vest halfway on. "What about me?"

Katie held up the Seal of the Twin Eagle triumphantly. "Gotcha!" She attached it onto its customary spot on her arm. "What's your story?"

Raith tightened his chestpiece. "What is there to tell? I woke up outside the Stormwall with a mismatched collection of memories, learned what it means to be a Guardian, and got to work."

His impromptu lover slipped her gloves on. "But what about _you_? Were you always this… pragmatic?" She stopped. "That means-"

"I know what it means," Raith interrupted. He offhandedly tried to stretch the wrinkles out of his gloves. "And no. I just learned the hard way how I deal with loss."

Katie nodded sagely. "And the best way to keep yourself from losing anything else. By working alone."

The Hunter's cloak froze halfway around his neck. "...Exactly." He fastened his symbol of class around his throat, brushing some dust off his shoulder. "Regardless, I would like to say that last night was very… interesting."

The Warlock chuckled. "Sure was. Maybe we could do this again sometime."

Raith paused on Katie's doorstep. "...You know, we just might." And with that, he disappeared from the room.

 **Song: Sleepwalker**

 **Artist: Illenium (feat. Joni Fatora)**

 **Album: Ashes**

* * *

 **And there you have it. I can't promise the next chapter will be less delayed, but I _can_ promise that there will be one. **

**And again, PM me if you catch any of the references.**

 **But until then, this is FoxHunt5, signing off.**


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